Echoes of Silence
by Winter-Dragon
Summary: Kaoru is a swordswoman on a journey. But she has a dark mission, one that pits her against the ideals of katsujin ken. When she runs into a band of assassins led by the deadly Battousai, both are forced to reevaluate what it means to live... and to love.
1. Chapter One

TITLE: Echoes of Silence  
AUTHOR: Winter  
SPOILERS: Not really, it's AU, but will include a bit of Kenshin's canon past, as seen in the OAVs.  
RATING: R  
SUMMARY: Kaoru is a swordswoman on a journey with her childhood friend. But she has a dark mission of her own, one that pits her against the ideals of katsujin-ken. When she runs into a band of assassins led by the deadly Battousai, both are forced to re-evaluate what it means to live -- and to love. AU.  
DISCLAIMER: "Rurouni Kenshin" is owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki, etc. I make no claims.  
FEEDBACK: Would be very much appreciated. 

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I've adored "Rurouni Kenshin" since I first saw the series almost 10 years go, but this is my first attempt at actually writing a fanfic for this series. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

This idea has been floating around in my head for a couple of months now. I tried to put it aside so I could concentrate on my other outstanding fic, but it's gotten to the point where ideas for this fic have kept me distracted from more important tasks. So, I figure it's just best to put pen to paper (so to speak) and get it out of my system. :)

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**One**

_"There may come a day, my Kaoru, when you will be forced to take a life. I can only hope that should that day come, you will understand what it truly means, and can act in accordance with the principles of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."_

The words floated in and out of her mind, repeatedly. In fact, there was not a single day that went by when some fragmented memory of her father, or of his advice, did not wind its way into her consciousness. It had been two years since he was brutally slain, but the grief and rage over his death had not subsided.

Kaoru Kamiya had simply gotten adept at hiding it.

Her father had been her sanctuary, her strength. Life had always been difficult for the two of them, but Kaoru would not lie to herself -- it was because of the choices her father had made in raising her. She couldn't fault him for that, though, and was proud that he had shaped her into who she was: a powerful fighter, fiercely independent, and sharply intelligent. However, after his death, things had become infinitely harder. It seemed that while Koshijirou Kamiya yet lived, people had retained a measure of awe and respect for him. But after his passing, that feeling was not transferred to his sole child and heir. Coupled with the despair at losing her anchor in life, Kaoru had descended into a pit of depression and rage. Needless to say, that only further alienated her from the other villagers, who simply could not understand why a young woman would devote herself to the sword, completely forgoing her duties.

Her father had been the current Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, a style that adhered to the principles of katsujin-ken -- that the sword should be used to protect. While he lived, he had trained several of the other young men in the village, but there had never been a Master of the style that was not a Kamiya. And so, Koshijirou had resolved to teach his only child, Kaoru, to carry on the lineage of their family.

People had felt it was wrong, naturally. They whispered that if Koshijirou was adamant that the style be carried on by a Kamiya, then he should have wed again, and fathered a son. But Kaoru's father was a passionate man, in all areas of his life, and he had loved his deceased wife with that fierce passion. Kaede Kamiya had been the center of his existence, and upon her death in childbed, he had vowed he would never take another woman to wife. Again, it was whispered that Koshijirou simply felt no other woman could measure up to his Kaede, and towards this, the other villagers were sympathetic.

Kaoru's mother was legendary for her grace and beauty, her wit and charm, her skill and poise. As a child, before it became common knowledge that Kaoru was training in swordsmanship, people had commented in awe on how Kaoru had inherited her mother's beauty. But that, too, had been tarnished the day her father was killed, and was all the more reason that people turned their backs on her. With her beauty intact, she may have yet been offered good marriage prospects, especially with her lineage. But the scars, and her non-conformance, and her infamous lack of ability in the kitchen, had relegated her an outsider.

And so, Kaoru had spent the last two years of her life rebuilding her spirit, redoubling her efforts at mastering the art her father had entrusted her with, and working hard to ignore those who continued to whisper behind her back. She had only one friend through the entire ordeal. Kaoru admitted, many times over, that she may not have survived the death of her father had it not been for the support Tomoe lent her.

Tomoe Yukishiro was two years her elder, and her complete opposite. Where Kaoru was fiery, combative, and completely hopeless when it came to domestic tasks, Tomoe was the picture of calm, grace, and beauty. The other women of the village would point out Tomoe to their own daughters as the epitome of the feminine, and all the young men were smitten by her. Everyone loved Tomoe, and fully expected her to settle down soon.

Kaoru snorted, sure that by this time everyone back home was shaking their heads ruefully, wondering what went wrong, speculating that **she** had somehow corrupted the pure innocence that was Tomoe. While it was common knowledge that Tomoe dabbled in herb-lore and healing, and she was loved all the more because of it, Kaoru was the only one outside of her own family who knew how deep that passion went. Behind her mask of demure propriety, Tomoe had a burning desire to become a healer, to study with the experts, and to save lives.

The young swordswoman imagined that it was the very day that had so destroyed her that had infused this same drive in her best friend. The dead from that day had numbered over a dozen, the dying more than that. And even more of those who lived still bore the scars. Tomoe, with her gentle spirit, had resolved all the more that she would someday be in a position to prevent such tragic loss of life.

Which had, inevitably, led the pair to where they were now -- in the mountains, on a treacherous path to the city of Mizuni, which was on the western shore of the country and a good three hundred miles from their own village of Nari.

"Rise and shine, Tomoe!" Kaoru called cheerfully to her companion, who was still nestled into the rough-skin roll they used to pack their belongings. Her only response was a muffled groan as the figure buried herself deeper into the covers.

Sighing, Kaoru couldn't help but grin at the familiarity of the action. Tomoe did not like waking up before dawn. Rising smoothly to her feet, Kaoru marched over and none-too-gently nudged the sleeping roll until Tomoe was forced to peek out from under the cover. "Not this early again?" she murmured sleepily.

"Yes, this early again. We have a lot of ground to cover, and only a limited number of daylight hours to cover it in."

"You're like a machine, Kaoru," Tomoe grumbled as she finally rose, immediately turning her attentions to folding up her belongings.

"It comes from all those years of Father working me from dawn to dusk," Kaoru grinned, used to the rigorous training schedule the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu demanded. "Besides, if you slept any longer, I'd have been forced to make our breakfast -- and you'd have been forced to eat it."

Tomoe gave her a sharp look before replying, "Good point. It was better that you woke me up."

Kaoru made a face, but there was no ill-will behind it. She was the first person to admit her cooking was horrible, and that she loved the food that Tomoe made, even out in the mountains from scraps. The two quickly fell into their new morning routine, having already been on the road for the past two days. While Tomoe made breakfast, Kaoru re-packed their belongings and cleaned up their campsite. Once finished, the two sat in companionable silence enjoying the meal, and the sunrise.

After a while, Tomoe asked, "How long do you think it will be before we reach Mizuni?"

Kaoru chewed her food thoughtfully, trying to gauge how far they had traveled. "I'd say another week, maybe more, especially if this weather doesn't hold. The mountain paths are more difficult than I expected, and we're not making quite as much progress through them."

"Hmm," Tomoe mused in thought. After a moment she gave a rueful smile, "And to think, I almost attempted this on my own."

"So you're admitting now that it would have been suicide?" Kaoru challenged her friend with a glint in her eye. It was quite difficult to forget the heated argument they had the night Tomoe decided, once and for all, that she would leave her home behind and pursue schooling in the city of Mizuni, where a reputed female doctor was said to take in and train other young women. Despite Kaoru's attempts to convince her otherwise, Tomoe had insisted that her mind was made up. Seeing the truth behind that, Kaoru resolved to go with her, but Tomoe had adamantly refused to involve her friend. She knew as well as Kaoru did what the people in their village would think, and say. But Kaoru had stopped caring long ago, and she forced herself to acknowledge that she was leaving nothing behind if she left Nari.

In fact, heading to Mizuni with Tomoe would put her that much closer to the dark, dark dream she had been nurturing since her father's death.

After a battle of wills, Kaoru had, naturally, come out the victor. Tomoe saw reason, and the two made plans to gather some maps, tools, necessities, and rations, and head out into the mountains two mornings later.

"Yes," Tomoe smiled brightly, no hint of sarcasm in her face or tone, "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Kaoru eyed her friend, then smiled in return. "Good, now that **that's** finally settled, we should be on our way."

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Kaoru inhaled sharply, trying to draw more breath into her oxygen-deprived lungs. Despite the fact that they were traveling through relatively low-altitude passes, the constant uphill and downhill transitions were taxing. Tomoe was doing her best to keep up with her, but Kaoru knew she was not as used to the physical rigors, and so Kaoru constantly slowed their pace. Finally, Tomoe called out in exhaustion, "Let's stop here, just for a moment."

All too happy to agree, Kaoru nodded, dropping her pack and sinking to the ground, Tomoe following suit. Looking ahead of her, Kaoru noted that the pass soon widened out into a valley. If they could get there, and perhaps cross the majority of it before nightfall, it would provide a good campground. Glancing up at the sky, she noted that the sun was already past mid-day. They had at most another six hours of daylight before they would be forced to stop for the night.

Opening her pack, Tomoe pulled out a handful of dried fruits, passing some of them to Kaoru. Kaoru accepted them gratefully, deciding to take the time to examine her maps. She double-checked the route they had planned out before, the same route that most travelers were said to take through the mountains. After a few minutes cross-referencing the map with their surroundings, Kaoru determined that they had indeed been taking the correct paths. The last thing Kaoru wanted was for them to get steered off-course by inadvertently taking a wrong direction somewhere.

"Is everything alright?" Tomoe asked.

"Umm..." Kaoru frowned, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease her friend a little. "I think we may have gotten turned around somewhere back in the last pass..."

"What?!" Tomoe exclaimed, reaching for the map.

Kaoru swiftly yanked it out of her reach, shaking her head remorsefully. "I'm really sorry, but we're going to have to backtrack, and figure out where we went off-course."

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, don't worry... I'm not."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, before Tomoe narrowed her eyes. "You're evil."

"I know," Kaoru smiled, rolling up the map and tucking it away. "But you feel better now, right?"

"I--" Tomoe stopped for a moment to consider, then laughed. "I guess I do. Panic sure does give you a lot of adrenaline."

"You have no idea." Kaoru stood, stretching her arms and legs carefully to loosen up the muscles. "Ready to head out again?"

"I suppose," Tomoe sighed heavily.

The two trudged ahead, keeping up a light conversation to help pass the time. They had only covered a couple of miles before Kaoru noticed an odd sight a few hundred feet ahead. At the base of one of the taller cliffs was a tumble of rocks, some of which were still settling. Tomoe noticed it too, drawing in a sharp gasp. "Is that a rockslide?" she asked, looking around them for signs of the same thing happening again.

"It looks like it," Kaoru mused, staring intently ahead. "I hadn't really considered it when we first headed out. We have to pass by there, anyhow. We should check it out -- but be careful."

Tomoe nodded, and the two moved ahead more cautiously. Having covered half the distance, they noticed movement among the rocks, and Kaoru exclaimed, "I think there are people trapped in that!"

Tomoe had seen too, and now she suddenly raced ahead.

"Tomoe, wait!" Kaoru called out, and upon realizing she would not slow down, took off after her. She shook her head ruefully, wondering how people had always considered **her** the impetuous one.

The two raced to the tumble of rocks, calling out to the two men that were attempting to pull a third from under the rubble. They managed to get him free just as Kaoru and Tomoe arrived, taking a moment to catch their breaths.

"Are you alright?" Tomoe asked the tall, lanky man standing closest to them. His brown hair was in disarray, the red bandana across his forehead soaking up the blood from a large gash across his temple.

The man seemed very surprised to see the two of them and took a few moments to answer. Kaoru took that time to inspect the other two, who seemed to be in much worse shape. The one man with jet black hair piled atop his head had collapsed, clutching his arm tightly to his chest. The third man that was pulled from under the rocks was, to Kaoru's surprise, misshapen -- and not because of the rockslide. He had pallid skin and obviously suffered from stunted growth.

"We got caught by the rockslide," the man with the bandana stated, seemingly still in a state of mild shock.

Kaoru mentally huffed -- they knew that much already. But taking a curt tone with the men was probably not the best choice of action, considering what they had been through. "Are you okay? Can you and your companions walk? It would be much safer to get out of this area, down into the valley below. There's no telling if the rocks up there will shift again."

As Kaoru spoke, Tomoe kneeled beside the two injured men. The small one looked considerably worse than the other, the rocks having visibly smashed several of his bones. Already, the young healer was frantically trying to stem the blood flow by tightly bandaging their gashes with whatever material was available to her.

"I think I'm okay," the man replied, casting a worried glance at the other two, "Kiyo, Beshimi..." he called to his companions, kneeling next to Tomoe beside them. He grimaced, taking in their state. Kaoru, too, dropped to her knees on Tomoe's other side. "What can I do?" she whispered softly.

"Do you have anything we can use as a splint?" she asked, her attention divided between the two men.

Kaoru thought for a moment, then nodded, reaching into her pack.

"Zanza..." the small man to Tomoe's right called out. The man with the bandana responded, shifting his attention.

"What is it, Beshimi?"

"Give my regards..."

"Hey!" the man called Zanza silenced him sharply, "don't talk like that!"

Kaoru pulled out a set of small wooden practice knives, buried deeply in her pack. She handed them to Tomoe, who simply nodded, indicating that they would do. Using her own small blade, she quickly sliced off the bottom of the pants Kaoru had forced her to wear for the journey, to provide more bandage. As she worked, Kaoru could only watch, feeling utterly helpless.

Beshimi continued, shaking his head weakly despite Tomoe's efforts. "Better you... look to Kiyo..."

"Beshimi!" Zanza warned again, the panic obvious on his face.

The man, Kiyo, who had been silent up to this point, struggled to sit up. "Zanza's right, Beshimi," he wheezed, "save your energy."

But Beshimi could only shake his head, as Tomoe sat back and considered them both for a moment. She nodded gravely, deciding she had perhaps done all she could for the man called Beshimi, before turning her attention back to Kiyo.

Kaoru continued to watch for a moment before finally tearing her eyes away to survey their surroundings. "Did you see what happened?" she asked Zanza quietly.

He shook his head, "It was all so sudden. We were journeying back to our campground, to meet up with the rest of our group, when we heard this rumbling. We realized what it was immediately, but before we had time to react, the boulders were crashing down on us. Beshimi was struck first."

Kaoru looked up at the cliffs above them, assessing the likelihood that another round of rocks would come down. But she realized she really had no way of telling.

"Kaoru?" Tomoe called her attention, "get out my water jug."

Kaoru did so, handing it over, feeling a little sheepish for not having though of that earlier. Tomoe offered it to Kiyo, who took several sips, before handing it back. Beshimi was in much worse condition, so Tomoe could only drizzle a bit into his mouth. She turned back, handing the rest to Zanza, then tending to his injuries.

"Thanks," he took a long swallow, gave the two an assessing look, but didn't say anything.

Finally Tomoe stood. "I've done what I can for the moment. We should move them away from here. Can you stand?" she addressed Kiyo. The man looked uncertain, so Tomoe knelt once again to help support him to his feet. Zanza easily picked up Beshimi, and Kaoru grabbed their packs as the group headed out of the pass.

"Which way are you guys headed?" Zanza finally asked.

"West," Kaoru supplied, "to Mizuni."

"Where's the rest of your party?"

"It's only us."

Zanza was silent a moment before remarking, "Seems a bit dangerous, two young women traveling by themselves." He eyed the twin swords hanging at Kaoru's waist, and she could see his eyebrow lift in question at the fact that she carried both a bokken and a katana. "Decoration, or do you know how to use those?"

"She knows how to use those," Tomoe interjected.

"We're perfectly fine," Kaoru added at the same time.

"All the same, you two are welcome to head back with us to camp; we're headed West as well, for the time being. And we could use your help with Kiyo and Beshimi a while longer; there are no healers in our group." At this, he looked at Tomoe.

"Your group?" Kaoru inquired.

"Yes, we're sort of like workers for hire. We travel a lot, take odd jobs where we can find them. We're a bit of a rag-tag group," he smiled at them, and Kaoru noticed that under the dirt and grime and blood, he was quite handsome.

She noticed that Tomoe was looking at her, giving her that look that she knew meant Tomoe was about to do something she wouldn't approve of. Kaoru tried to shake her head at her friend without being too obvious, but Tomoe had turned to face Zanza, "Of course we'll accompany you back."

Kaoru sighed.

"How far is your camp?"

Zanza shrugged, "Not far. We were headed back from our last job anyway, they should be around here somewhere."

Kiyo gave a light laugh, "Zanza is notorious for his lack of direction, but he's actually not wrong this time. Another few miles to the campground."

Kaoru frowned, wondering how they were to supposed to support the three men all the way there. Zanza seemed to be holding his own, though, despite carrying Beshimi's weight. He was apparently a lot tougher than he appeared. Perhaps they were used to hard work, Kaoru reasoned, trying to shrug off the prickling sensation running through her. Besides, they had no reason to stay at their camp long. Tomoe could use the group's supplies to properly tend to the men, they could perhaps trade a few trinkets here and there to restock their own supplies, and then head their separate ways.

Glancing up, she noticed Zanza eyeing her.

"So, you know our names; what are yours?" he asked.

"We don't know your names."

"I'm Zanza, this is Beshimi, and that's Kiyo."

"I meant your real names."

Zanza blinked. "Those are our names. We gave up our previous identities long ago."

"That's an odd thing to do," Tomoe mused.

"As I said, we're a rag-tag group. A lot of us have... baggage. But we've decided to make the best of our lives by casting off our old identities."

"That seems very admirable," Tomoe smiled at him. Kaoru only rolled her eyes. While she loved her friend, she could be awfully naive sometimes.

"I'm Tomoe Yukishiro, and this is Kaoru Kamiya."

"Pleased to meet you." Zanza grinned. "So what brings the two of you out into the mountains by yourself?"

"You sure do ask a lot of questions," Kaoru remarked.

"I'm curious."

"As I said, we're headed to Mizuni."

"By yourselves."

"Yes."

"That seems a little strange."

"So you've implied."

Zanza laughed, then stopped abruptly as a wave of pain shot through his chest. "Ow, I must have cracked a rib," he grimaced.

"You'll have a lot more than that cracked if you don't hand over your belongings, now," a deep voice rumbled from behind them.

The group whirled around to face the intruder, and noticed four other men emerging to join him.

"Shit!" Zanza cursed under his breath, his gaze shifting from the companion he still carried to the five bandits.

"We have nothing of value to give you," Kaoru stated firmly.

The apparent leader of the group eyed her appraisingly before sneering, "I doubt that. But at the moment I'm more interested in what your friend has hidden in his coat there."

Kaoru shifted her glance to Zanza, taking a second look at the thin white coat we wore. Sure enough, there was a small bulge on the inside bottom, barely visible. Apparently it was a hidden pocket, with something sewn inside of it.

Curious.

"Hand it over," the leader commanded again. He was a large man, with a thick black beard that hung almost to his chest. His skin was weathered and rough, probably from several harsh winters spent in the mountains. Kaoru decided he must belong to one of the several mountain bandit groups that hassled travelers. Stories of them abounded, and it was almost guaranteed that any group passing through this area and displaying any measure of wealth would be attacked.

It was also the reason that she came visibly armed.

Kaoru withdrew her bokken, slipping easily into the first stance of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. "As you can see, my companions are injured. We simply wish to return safely and tend to the wounds. I would encourage you to leave without causing any trouble."

The men erupted into a fit of mocking laughter. "You actually expect us to just go away because you're brandishing that stick at us?"

"Yes."

And with that, Kaoru leapt. She brought her bokken down, hard, smashing it against the skull of the nearest man. Before they had time to react, she had whirled out of the way and struck a second soundly against the knee, brining him crumbling to the ground.

Finally, the bandits drew their weapons, but Kaoru was a blur of grace and precision as she deftly delivered one calculated blow after another. Zanza, Kiyo, and a half-conscious Beshimi could only watch in awe. Before they had taken five breaths, Kaoru was still again, poised dangerously over the group of men who now lay sprawled on the ground, clutching smashed bones and broken limbs.

Kaoru held her position for three seconds before finally lowering her bokken and re-sheathing it. Turning to glance at Tomoe, she noted the small smile hovering over the woman's lips. Kaoru nodded, "Let's go." Too shocked the argue, the men obeyed.

They had traveled a fair distance in silence before Tomoe stopped, lowering Kiyo to the ground. "I need to re-adjust some of the bindings," she told them, "and check on Beshimi. We should rest a bit, as well."

Zanza didn't argue and carefully set Beshimi down next to Kiyo, before taking a seat himself. Kaoru rummaged through her pack to pull out a still-wrapped loaf of bread, handing it to Zanza. "Here, it isn't much, but it'll give you guys some energy."

He accepted it gratefully, finally breaking his silence. "Back there, that was... something."

"I told you we could take care of ourselves."

It was Kiyo who responded, "Are you from the West, then? Women here are not trained in such arts, but it is a little more common in places like Mizuni."

Kaoru shook her head. "No," she admitted, "I was raised in a village here in the East." She didn't offer anything more, and from the look on her face, they decided not to ask.

Tomoe continued to work in silence, her frown deepening as she examined Beshimi. She had only a limited supply of salves with her, not having expected that she would need them for anything more than tending to a few scrapes or sprains. And dealing with something like this fell far outside of her limited range of experience.

If she were honest with herself, she would admit that Beshimi would not survive. Already he was slipping in and out of consciousness, probably from the pain. She had no medicines with her that would be strong enough to dull his senses.

Again she felt the firm resolve within her, the knowledge that she had made the right decision in leaving her family behind. They simply did not understand, she reasoned. While she could not shake the shame she felt at having forsaken her duties, she knew she could not have lived with the regret of choices left unmade. She also knew that her family would be stained with the mark of dishonor, but she hoped that in time she could prove herself and make up for it.

With that vow in mind, Tomoe finished what she needed to do, and the group headed out again. They continued that pattern for the last few miles: covering a certain distance, stopping to rest, letting Tomoe check the splints and bindings and blood flow, then starting forward again.

It was nearing sunset when Zanza finally spoke, "We're almost there."

They had long since entered the valley that Kaoru had spotted that morning, and traversed a good deal of it before veering slightly to the north. To Kaoru's surprise, the valley dipped even further, revealing a moderately sized enclave bordered by a mountain cliff on one side. It was a beautiful spot, secluded, and

from the sound of it, a stream was running nearby. Although in these mountains, a 'stream' could just as easily be an eroded path caused by the ice melting at the top of the peaks far above. 

"Zanza!"

They were greeted by a young man racing out towards them. At least, he looked young. He was short, with a dark hair framing his boyish face.

"Tenken," Zanza greeted in return, "you're on watch?"

"Yes," he nodded, "What happened?"

"Rockslide."

Tenken nodded, taking support of Kiyo from Tomoe. "And you are...?"

"Travelers, they came across us and helped." Kiyo told him, now short of breath. "Yukishiro-san here is a healer, her friend Kamiya-san is--"

"Accompanying her," Kaoru filled in.

"They've been a huge help," Zanza added as they moved ahead, coming across a few more men milling about, obviously preparing the camp for night-fall, and who were giving them curious looks.

"We had expected you back much sooner," Tenken told him, "and worried that perhaps something had happened."

Zanza shook his head. "The jobs went fine. It was just on the way back that we got caught. I'm fine, for the most part, but we should get Beshimi and Kiyo settled somewhere. If there are any medical supplies that Yukishiro-san can use, we need those as well."

Tenken took another glance at Beshimi, paling slightly. The diagnoses for him was now more than apparent.

"I'll alert Battousai," he whispered, and was gone.

Zanza motioned for Tomoe and Kaoru to follow him as he led them back against the cliff-wall to where a single tent stood. They entered quickly and set Kiyo and Beshimi down in two of the three cots laid out inside.

"What do you need?" Zanza asked Tomoe suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

"To heal them," he clarified.

"I... You should know, I'm not a true healer."

"You're better than anything we've got. Just pull them through this."

Tomoe replied softly, "I'll do the best I can. You should sit, too; I can at least look at your ribs."

At that moment, the flap to the tent was thrown open as another man came through. He was clad in dark blue and had flaming red hair pulled into a high ponytail. His frame was not large, but he had a commanding presence that sent an unexpected bolt of fear down Kaoru's spine.

"So, you're the two outsiders that were brought into my group." His tone was as cold and hard as steel.

"This is our leader, Battousai." Zanza explained to them quietly.

As the man approached, his stride crisp and graceful, Kaoru took one look into his flinty amber eyes and felt panic rise within her. That look, that stance, the way the sword hung dangerously from his side, was unmistakable.

Rag-tag group of odd-job workers be damned; they were amongst a group of assassins.

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Interested?

Feedback is appreciated. :)


	2. Chapter Two

Thanks so much for the wonderfully encouraging reviews! Yes, this is a Kenshin(Battousai)/Kaoru fic.

A few notes on the world that this fanfic takes place in:

This is an AU fanfic, so it is not the same world of "Rurouni Kenshin", nor would I even say that this takes place in the country of Japan. While the customs described in this fanfic may be loosely based off those in Japan or other Asian countries, I would consider this fanfic along the same lines as a fantasy work: one that takes place in a fictional land, inhabited by fictional people.

Although I may use commonly-known terms (ex: bokken) to refer to objects, it is more for ease of communication than for anything else. I could say "curved wooden sword", but as this is a "Rurouni Kenshin" fanfic, readers are familiar with the term "bokken" and can easily visualize what I'm referring to without my having to go into a detailed description. Some additional "Rurouni Kenshin" lingo will still be used, to retain a certain connection to the series. )

The timeline is set in a feudal era, where the country is split among various warlords who are constantly struggling to expand their territory and eliminate their enemies. In light of this, groups of mercenaries and assassins are considered commonplace. Those groups do not necessarily have the stigma associated with them in this fanfic that they would in the modern world. These groups are routinely employed by the different warlords to achieve their ends, and although they are considered dangerous people who should be avoided, they are acknowledged as a facet of the current society.

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**Two**

_"The other girls all started screaming, they were so afraid! But it was just a tiny frog, Father, nothing to get scared about," a six year-old Kaoru complained after coming home from her ruined picnic._

_Her father laughed, that rich, warm laugh that she loved so much, and said to her, "Ah, Kaoru-chan, there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes a healthy dose of fear can be a good thing."_

_"I don't understand," she frowned up at him._

_He stroked her hair gently, smiling at her. "It keeps you out of trouble."_

She was afraid now.

And Kaoru Kamiya did **not** like being afraid. She was, in fact, known to hide her fear behind a veil of sarcasm, or worse still, anger. In this case, that anger was turned upon herself. She could not understand why the man before her, who was not much larger than her, could set her pulse racing in fear. It was, perhaps, that his fierce, unyielding face seemed so similar to the faces of the men who had marched into her village two years before. They had brought devastation, and left blood and grief in their wake.

"What were you thinking, Zanza, to bring them into my camp without first consulting me?" Despite addressing his companion, his eyes remained locked onto Kaoru's.

"Didn't Tenken explain it to you? Have you seen Beshimi?"

At this, Battousai's eyes shifted to the small man lying in the cot to the right. After a moment he asked, "Which one of you is the healer?"

Tomoe looked up at him and replied in a barely audible voice, "I am."

Battousai looked her over, deliberately, before declaring, "The two of you will stay in this tent. Tend to Beshimi, for whatever time remains to him, and to Kiyo. There will likely be men in and out to pay their last respects. Don't speak to them, and don't interfere with them. Zanza, I'll speak to you outside."

"Wait a second!" Kaoru finally snapped out of her stupor, affronted at the curt commands he was giving them, and at his obvious lack of faith in her friend's skills. "Don't presume that you can order us around. We're not your men, and--"

"No, you're not my **men**. And Zanza should have known better than to bring you here. This is no place for women, which is exactly why you'll do as I say."

Kaoru's eyes blazed. She had heard that often enough in her life, but it had never ceased to set her blood boiling. "You arrogant, chauvinistic--"

"Kaoru," she was stopped by Tomoe placing a warning hand on her arm. "We should do what we can here," Tomoe whispered to her, "and not waste time."

Kaoru went silent, acknowledging the sense in that.

"You should listen to your friend," Battousai told her, then turned and swiftly exited the tent. Zanza shot them an apologetic look before following him out.

Kaoru waited exactly fifteen seconds, to reassure herself that they were out of earshot, before she whirled around to face Tomoe. While keeping a nervous eye on Kiyo, she whispered in Tomoe's ear. "We need to get out of here, **fast**."

Tomoe shook her head, "I can't, not without doing what I can first."

Kaoru ground her teeth, not sure how much Kiyo could hear of their conversation, and not wanting to reveal what she suspected just yet. She gave Tomoe a hard look, clearly conveying her displeasure. But she could never be mad at her friend, especially not over something like this. It was this same streak of willful benevolence in Tomoe that had caused her to befriend Kaoru when they were both young girls. And, it was this same instinct that prompted Tomoe to take care of Kaoru after the brutal attack she suffered the day her father died.

"Then let's just be quick about it," Kaoru relented.

Tomoe's glance shifted to Beshimi, then lowered. Kaoru interpreted that fairly easily: Tomoe did not expect the man to live past the night. She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder in silent comfort; Kaoru knew better than anyone how seriously Tomoe took the well-being of a person in her care, even if it was a complete stranger.

The two set about unpacking whatever materials they could use before Tomoe situated herself between the two cots, checking on the men. It was then that Kaoru noticed that Kiyo had fallen asleep. With Beshimi apparently unconscious, she wondered if perhaps she should take the opportunity to share her concerns with Tomoe. But just as the opened her mouth to speak, Zanza re-entered the tent.

"I'm... sorry about that," he apologized ruefully, "Battousai can be pretty intimidating sometimes."

Kaoru blinked, feeling some of her anger rush back to the surface. "I believe we're not supposed to talk to you."

Zanza chuckled, "You're a fiery little missy, aren't you?" Then he stopped abruptly, again, and clutched his side. "Ow."

Tomoe sighed, "Go take the third cot. I'll get to you in a minute."

* * *

. 

Battousai had not been wrong about one thing: plenty of men came in and out of the tent that night, to say a few words to Beshimi. No one could tell how much he heard or understood, but they came nonetheless. And although they sent curious glances towards Tomoe and Kaoru, they said not a word to them. Apparently they had been warned by Battousai.

Since it appeared they would not be getting any sleep that night, Kaoru took the opportunity to study the men as they came in. Tenken, they had already met. There was also a young boy, who didn't look to be more than twelve years old; a tall, lanky man who kept his face covered with a mask; a giant of a man who almost seemed to be made of rock; a second large man who resembled a sumo wrestler; and finally, the man currently in the room, a tall, darkly handsome figure with a face as stoic as Battousai's.

To their surprise, Beshimi woke and stirred the moment this man had approached his side, and actually kept up a fairly coherent conversation. Kaoru could not catch all of it, but she did hear Beshimi refer to the man as Okashira, and speak to him in a tone that resonated genuine affection and respect. The tall man's voice was too deep and low for her to hear more than a few murmurs, but she got the feeling that there was a deep bond between the two.

After several minutes, their conversation appeared to die down. Beshimi turned his pained expression onto Tomoe and spoke in a stronger voice. "Thank you, Yukishiro-san, for all that you have done." Tomoe rose from where she was reclining next to Kaoru and walked over to him. But Beshimi had already turned to look back at Okashira. "It has been my honor."

With those words spoken, Beshimi took one last breath, closed his eyes, and was gone.

Tomoe bowed her head, saying a silent prayer of farewell as she kneeled next to the corpse, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

She looked up to face the man still kneeling next to Beshimi, his icy features altered marginally by grief. Kiyo, who had been lying a few feet away the entire time, and who must have heard every conversation, whispered his own soft farewell. Okashira rose swiftly and suddenly, but stopped to give Tomoe a hard look. For a moment, Kaoru grew worried, thinking that perhaps he was blaming her for his friend's death, and she, too, got to her feet.

But the man surprised them by acknowledging the healer with a slow nod. "My thanks to you, for looking out for Beshimi in his final hours."

Kaoru noted to herself that she was right, the man had a deep voice that must have seemed powerful when issuing commands, not unlike Battousai's, although his had been a little huskier.

Tomoe gave him a slight bow in return. "I am sorry I could not do enough."

Only a slight lowering of his gaze signaled that he heard her, as he brushed past them and out of the tent without another word.

Tomoe and Kaoru were left looking at each other in silent puzzlement, wondering what they were supposed to do now. It was well into the middle of the night, perhaps only a few more hours until sunrise, and neither had gotten any sleep. Tomoe sighed, returning to Beshimi to gently lift the cover over his head to shroud the body. She then went back to check on Kiyo. After she had inspected and bandaged Zanza's injuries earlier, he had left, only to return shortly after with the materials and herbs that Tomoe had requested from him. She had used those to better secure the bindings around Kiyo's arm, chest, and leg, where his most severe injuries were. She had also used the herbs she was given to make a rather poor version of a medication meant to dull physical sensation and induce sleep. It had not worked as well as she would have liked, but it had provided Beshimi and Kiyo a small reprieve from their pain.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, slightly pleased as she removed the bandage from around his head to note that there had been no new bleeding since the last time she had checked. Both Kiyo and Zanza had been struck across the temple, and while Zanza had stopped bleeding almost immediately, Kiyo's wound had continued to trickle slightly, worrying her.

"Not too bad. At least, the pain's not as intense as it was. Your medicines are helping. As for Beshimi," he sent a glance towards the now-concealed body, "Battousai will be alerted to the death soon. I'm sure he'll be here shortly to make preparations for the burial."

Kaoru scoffed, and found she couldn't repress her words, "A little late, isn't he? While it seems all your friends have been in here to offer some comfort, your leader was noticeably absent."

"Aww, if I had known you were waiting for me, I would have come."

Again, that thrill of fear lanced through Kaoru as she spun around in surprise upon hearing his voice. Battousai and Zanza were standing at the entrance, the former giving her a look of cool disdain, the latter trying to warn her with his expression to keep silent.

While Kaoru felt a mild regret at having voiced her words, she did not apologize. She did, however, take Zanza's advice and kept her mouth shut, swallowing the sharp retort that was hovering behind her lips.

Battousai's gaze continued to bore into her own, as if he was expecting a challenge of some type. When none came, he strode forward towards Beshimi's cot, intentionally brushing past Kaoru. She noted that his movement seemed stiffer now than it had during their first encounter.

"Zanza," Battousai's voice was low and solemn, "help me carry him outside. We'll perform the final rites at sunrise."

"Sure," Zanza, too, came forward, and the two gently lifted the slight body between them. They carried it outside without a word, and Kaoru had to force herself to remain still, to keep from following them.

Kiyo spoke from where he lay, "The two of you should get some rest. It's still a couple hours until sunrise, and I'll need some help getting out to attend Beshimi's rites."

There were, however, only three cots laid out in the tent, one of which had been Beshimi's. Neither Tomoe nor Kaoru liked the idea of taking a spot so recently vacated by the dead, so they decided to share a spot together on the far side of the space. Despite their limbs aching from the day's journey, and their minds heavy from lack of rest, both women found that they could not will themselves to sleep. Instead, they lay side by side in the suddenly eerie quiet, both lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

. 

The funeral rites took place on the far side of the enclave, in an area naturally sheltered by the formations of the mountain cliffs. A spot had already been dug into the rock, and a headstone carved from one of the small boulders.

Kaoru and Tomoe stood on the outskirts of the group, feeling conspicuously out of place. They had accompanied Kiyo here, and he had insisted that they stay. The sun was just beginning it's ascent, the sky lighted by soft shades of blue and purple.

It seemed the full group -- nine men total -- had assembled here. No one said much, but they all wore similar expressions of sorrow. Battousai had ordered the man called Okashira to lead the ceremonies, which he did. His voice echoed off the rocks, the vibrations seeping into their bodies, as he intoned the holy chants that were meant to accompany a soul as it departed from this world.

Kaoru watched as the men circled the shrouded body, one by one, offering their silent prayers. She found herself reflecting on these same rites that she had performed for her father; to her surprise, several people had shown up to attend that day.

She continued to watch as the small offerings were laid one by one at Beshimi's feet, as purified water was sprinkled over his body, as his weapon was laid across his chest. The chants continued all the while. It seemed they were intending to perform the full rites, or at least as much of it as they could. By the time they were finished, the sun had already risen well into the sky, indicating that at least a couple of hours had gone by.

Finally, Beshimi's body was lowered with care into the ground, covered, and the headstone set in place. More water was poured over the stone, but since there were no flowers that grew in this mountainous area, only a few bits of greenery were laid at the base of the grave. The final chants were intoned, to pray for a fortuitous rebirth of the soul, and it was done.

One by one the men began retreating in silence. Kaoru and Tomoe remained where they were, waiting for Zanza and Kiyo. They approached, Zanza supporting Kiyo's weight, and turned to head back when Battousai stopped them.

"Kiyo," Battousai addressed the young man suddenly, "Will you be ready to move out tomorrow?"

Tomoe was aghast, but could not seem to find the words to express her outrage. Kaoru was struck at how insensitive a person could be, to ask such a question after the funeral of the man alongside whom Kiyo was injured.

"I'm sorry, Battousai," Kiyo looked apologetic, "but I do not have the strength left in me to travel so soon."

"What is the extent of his injuries?" Battousai now looked at Tomoe.

Tomoe took a breath. She had yet to even explain to Kiyo the full ramifications of his injuries, but decided it was best to just be honest and get the news over with. Struggling to keep her voice calm and even, she answered, "One of the bones in his right forearm is shattered. It's difficult to say to what extent; there is a chance it may heal partially, given time, but I doubt he will ever regain the full use of his arm. He has a few bruised ribs, those should heal cleanly in a few weeks. There is also, what seems to be, a hairline fracture in his left leg. Any weight on that leg is a danger to him; he should not be up walking any more than is absolutely necessary, and travel is out of the question."

She saw the man stiffen, knowing the news was a blow to him. He had paled visibly, and Tomoe regretted not taking the opportunity to tell him this privately.

Battousai was silent, considering the diagnoses. "I will be honest with you, Kiyo. If what the healer says of your arm is true, you will be of little use to our group, and I believe you know this."

Kiyo nodded, but did not speak.

"We must decide what is to be done now."

Kaoru could not believe her ears. Battousai was treating the man as if he were a piece of property that had lost its use, and now had to be thrown out. "You treat your men with such disrespect," her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was fierce nonetheless, "I wonder why they bother to follow you at all."

Angry amber eyes turned onto her, and Kaoru noted it was the first time she had seen any flash of emotion in his face. "Now you presume to question my authority?"

"I'm simply stating what I've seen. One of your men died today, and you couldn't bring yourself to speak with him before he passed away. Another is seriously injured, and all you care about is the fact that he's no longer useful to you. You spend your time ordering others around, expecting them to obey you without a word. You couldn't even conduct Beshimi's funeral rites yourself--"

Kaoru gasped, startled as Battousai propelled himself at her. Even her reactions had not been quite fast enough; she had prevented him from closing his grip around her throat, but now he had the knife edge of his hand against her palm, pressing the knuckles of her own hand painfully back against her throat. She took a step back to try to relieve the pressure, but he took another forward, driving her back.

"I suggest you not mouth off on things you know nothing about," his voice was low and dangerous. "My men follow me for a reason, and they do what I say because they choose to. I would keep that in mind, if I were you." With a sharp thrust, he flung her away from him, and Kaoru was left to catch her breath.

"Healer," he turned his focus back onto Tomoe, "You will take Kiyo back to his tent and continue to tend to him. And Kiyo, you and I will talk, privately, later. And as for you," now he fixed his cold gaze back onto Kaoru, "Stay out of the way."

Kaoru gritted her teeth, but Battousai had already turned and left, leaving just her, Tomoe, Kiyo, and Zanza behind. Tomoe began leading Kiyo back to what had apparently become their tent, but Kaoru stood where she was, staring in the direction Battousai had retreated.

Zanza approached her, tapping her lightly on the shoulder to get her attention. She turned to face him and wondered at the shuttered expression on his normally open face.

"You shouldn't push Battousai, Kamiya-san."

"I don't get why you follow a man like that," she shook her head. Although she supposed that, if her suspicions of what they truly did for a living were correct, it made a logical sort of sense that they would want a hard man to make the hard decisions.

"I can tell from the look on your face that you think he has no regard for us. While I appreciate the sentiment, believe me, he does care. This isn't the first time we've lost a man; the deaths hit him harder than most of us."

"He sure doesn't act like it."

Zanza shook his head, "There's a lot you don't know or understand about him. Of all of us, I've been with him the longest, I think I know him the best. The simple act of letting the two of you stay here -- letting Beshimi have the care of a healer in his final hours -- speaks volumes."

"And Kiyo?" Kaoru challenged.

"Battousai was right. You don't understand the way things work among our group. There's not a man here who doesn't contribute his share, and there's not a man here who would willingly continue to travel amongst us if he couldn't keep up. That's just the way it is, it's what we've chosen, and it's the way we want it."

"That sounds so harsh."

"The world is harsh. Each of us has first-hand experience of that. And I suspect that you do, too."

Kaoru's gaze dropped instantly, but she forcefully shook off the memories that threatened to rise. Instead, she found herself considering whether or not to question Zanza about her suspicions, to confirm them once and for all. Despite the fact that he may well belong to a group of assassins, she felt a strange sense of ease around him.

But his words came floating back to her, that he had been with Battousai the longest, and she decided against it. The most fatal mistake she could make at the moment was trusting the wrong person. Perhaps they were simply better off feigning ignorance, until they could be on their way. From the sound of it, Battousai was eager to move out, so it wouldn't be too much longer before they could leave these people behind, or before they got left behind.

"You're right," Kaoru admitted, "I suppose I really have no right interfering with your business. Like you said, it's your choice."

Zanza eyed her suspiciously, perhaps suspecting a trick of some sort, but finally gave her a small smile. "You know, jou-chan, you don't look so bad without that constant scowl on your face."

Kaoru's eyes widened, both at the suddenly familiar way he had addressed her, and at the veiled insult. She fought the impulse to smack him, choosing to instead follow Tomoe's rapidly vanishing figure back to the tent.

* * *

. 

Kaoru was right when she thought she heard a stream nearby their campground. Kiyo had given them directions to it, and both she and Tomoe had headed off for a quick bath. It felt remarkably good to be clean again after three days on the road.

Now, Kaoru was laying on a small patch of grass next to the stream, enjoying the quiet. Tomoe sat with her, her eyes holding a faraway look. Kaoru glanced at her, noting the sadness in her features.

"You okay?" she asked as she propped herself up on one elbow to look at her friend.

"Yeah," Tomoe nodded but didn't sound very convincing.

"I don't believe you. Want to talk about it?"

Tomoe paused for a minute before answering, "Beshimi's death, somehow, brought back all the memories. This is the first death I've encountered since that day..."

"I know what you mean."

"It's been two years, but it feels like... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up. I know it's a lot harder for you."

Kaoru sat up completely now, shaking her head. The knot in her chest was there, as it always was whenever she thought of her father, but it was something she had resigned herself to. "It's ok. I think it makes it easier, in a way, to talk about it."

"It makes me think I made the right decision. I can't seem to shake the guilt at leaving my family like that."

"If it means anything, **I** think you made the right decision."

"That does mean a lot, thank you." The expression on Tomoe's face made it apparent that she didn't want to delve any deeper into this topic, so Kaoru instead wondered whether now would be a good time to speak to the older woman about her concerns.

"Tomoe," she began hesitantly, "I know it's important to you to see your work through, and to help Kiyo as much as you can."

"But?"

"But, I'm worried about what we've gotten ourselves into."

"What do you mean?"

"Battousai's group... I think they might be assassins, or at the least, mercenaries."

Tomoe's expression was grim, "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know, there's just something about them, Battousai especially. He has a look to him that reminds me of--"

"Of those men that followed Makoto into our village?"

"You noticed?"

"I did, why do you think I'm terrified of the man? I thought you hadn't noticed, what with the way you kept mouthing off to him." She was smiling a little, which lifted the dark mood slightly.

"Ha," Kaoru scoffed, "I just let my temper get the better of me. But do you think I'm right?"

"I don't know; what I've seen of the other men, they don't really seem like it. Kiyo and Zanza have been rather friendly and helpful, and they have that young boy with them. Except for Battousai, they don't seem anything like those... Makoto and his men."

"That doesn't really mean anything," Kaoru reminded her.

"Well, I don't think it really matters, does it?" Tomoe was obviously trying hard to cast a positive light on the situation. "We're not going to be with them for much longer, and as long as you keep your temper in check, we should be okay. Everyone says these types of people mostly keep to themselves; the only thing they care about is the gold they can get with their skills."

"That doesn't comfort me," Kaoru frowned. "But maybe you're right." It was, after all, what she had been reasoning to herself this whole time. "We should get back, I guess."

"Mmm, the bath was good, though."

"Yes, it was."

* * *

.

The warm aroma of recently cooked food wafted in the air as the pair returned. At the smell, Kaoru felt her stomach growl intensely. She realized she hadn't eaten a bite since the previous evening, and she was starving.

"Ah, there you are!" Zanza called as they came into view. "Lunch is ready; a little late, but I promise it'll be good."

"You cook?" Kaoru asked in surprise, not picturing him as the type.

"Hell no," he adamantly shook his head, "Battousai does."

This floored Kaoru; she **absolutely** could not picture that. "Oh."

"Here," he handed both her and Tomoe a bowl of some type of broth, apparently cooked over the still-smoldering fire that sat within a circle of rocks about ten feet away. As they sat down to eat, she noticed that a few of the other men were seated nearby: Tenken, the young boy, and the man who wore a mask over his face.

Following her gaze, Zanza introduced them. "This is Tenken, Yahiko, and Hanya."

Tenken gave them a bright smile, "Please, won't you join us? Kamiya-san, is it? And Yukishiro-san?" He looked at both of them in turn, and despite herself, Kaoru felt charmed by his smile. "Zanza tells us you're traveling by yourself. Towards the West?"

Kaoru wondered how much Zanza had told them, but Tomoe answered first. "Yes, to Mizuni."

"And where might you two be from?" Hanya asked.

"From Nari," Tomoe explained, "I'm heading to Mizuni to study the healing arts there."

"It is an interesting city," Hanya nodded, "Very different from a place like Nari."

"That's what we're hoping for," Tomoe smiled at them. "I take it you've been there?" She kept up a polite conversation through lunch, with Kaoru mostly listening in. Tomoe had a unique skill when it came to putting people at ease; she could find all sorts of neutral topics to discuss, and always seemed to know just what to say to avoid offending someone. Kaoru envied that, sometimes. She knew she was opinionated and hot-tempered, and she often let her emotions get the better of her.

Eventually her mind began to wander. She thought about the journey still ahead, and wondered what Mizuni would be like once they arrived. She had a bit farther to go on her own, after that. She hadn't mentioned this to Tomoe yet, could not bring herself to say the words out loud. But the idea was there, a half-formed plan.

Kaoru was roused out of her thoughts when the men let out a chorus of laughter. Tomoe was telling them the story of a young man who ventured too far out into the forest one day, only to come upon a mischievous forest spirit who wreaked havoc with his love life. It was a common tale in their village, one that was meant to both entertain young children and teach them the dangers of straying too far from the community.

The three men seemed to stare at Tomoe as she spoke, enraptured. Even the boy, Yahiko, was paying close attention to the story, as it was nearing it's comic climax. Apparently, none of them had heard the tale before. Kaoru felt the nervousness creep back into her; the young men in Nari used to look at Tomoe like that all the time: with adoration or shy attraction. But they knew those men. Here, they were among a group of strangers, and it worried her.

Finally the tale drew to a close, and Zanza and the others were wiping the tears of laughter from their eyes.

"You've got to share that story again with the rest of the guys later," Zanza was saying. "Or they're going to be sorry they missed it."

"Yes," Tenken nodded his agreement, "You are an excellent storyteller, Yukishiro-san."

"It's a hobby of mine," she smiled, "it helps pass the time when you're tending to wounds."

"Speaking of which, where are the others?" Kaoru interrupted.

"Scattered around," Hanya flicked his head to the side. "We usually spread out in pairs, and take up various look-out points."

"Seems like an overly cautious thing to do," Kaoru mused.

"Well, you never know who you might run into."

"I suppose that's true enough."

Glancing up, Kaoru noticed that a significant amount of time had passed since they first sat down here. The tale Tomoe chose to share had been a comparatively long one, and now it would be approaching sunset soon. Tomoe stifled a yawn, which no one missed.

"You must be tired," Zanza acknowledged. "I imagine you didn't get much rest last night."

"No," Tomoe shook her head.

"You two should go get some sleep."

Agreeing, Tomoe stood. "I do need to check in with Kiyo, as well. Has he eaten?"

"Battousai was taking some food in for him earlier," Zanza replied.

Kaoru stood too, ignoring the dull ache in her muscles. It seemed the bath and food and rest had caused them to stiffen a bit. As the two headed back, Kaoru pondered the best way to phrase what she wanted to say. Finally, she stopped Tomoe a few feet away from the tent, not wanting Kiyo to overhear as she simply blurted her thoughts out. "Don't tell any more stories, Tomoe."

"What?" Tomoe was taken off-guard.

"I just don't think you should be too friendly with them, that's all," Kaoru warned.

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't notice the way some of them were looking at you. You don't realize sometimes the effect you have on people, even back in the village."

"You don't really think...?"

"I don't know what to think. I only know that we don't know these men, and I can only protect us to a certain extent."

"And what, exactly, do you feel you need protection from?"

Kaoru started, finding herself face-to-face with Battousai once again as he exited from the tent. He had a startling habit of sneaking up on her and overhearing conversations he wasn't meant to overhear.

"Nothing," she replied, keeping her resolve to not instigate another argument with him in mind.

Unfortunately, he was going to make it difficult for her. "You think you need protection from us, is that it? I can assure you, we're not a group of crass outlaws. We acknowledge our debts, and as much as it galls me to admit it, we do owe the two of you. You're perfectly safe here. I know my men, I trust my men. As far as your concern goes, there's a time and place for that sort of thing, and it isn't here and now, nor is it with either of you."

Kaoru swore the sound of her teeth grinding must have been audible. "You've made your point. Now what were you doing in our tent?"

"In **your** tent?"

"Women are entitled to their personal space."

"Yes, women are certainly entitled to a lot."

The statement was made without a hint of inflection, and Kaoru had difficulty deciding if he was mocking her.

"But I have no obligation to explain myself to you," he continued.

"Look," Kaoru bit the words out grudgingly, "I apologize for my words before. I shouldn't have interfered in your business. Can we just put this hostility aside?"

Battousai had the grace to look mildly surprised. "It looks like someone knocked some sense into you. No matter, your apology is accepted. I'm glad we've cleared this up. It will make things easier in the days to come."

"What are you talking about?"

"The two of you will rest here for the night, and then you will accompany us when we move out tomorrow morning."

"Are you crazy?" Kaoru sputtered, completely forgetting her request for a cease-fire just a moment ago. "Have you forgotten what Tomoe said about Kiyo's health?"

"I have spoken with Kiyo, and arrangements have been made. He accepts this."

"Then you're both crazy," Kaoru shook her head, "And we have no obligation to 'accompany' you anywhere!"

Battousai's eyes narrowed, "You don't have a choice."

Again, there was that tremor of fear that ran through Kaoru. "You just said we were safe here."

"You are, as long as you do what I tell you."

"No," Kaoru's hand immediately moved to hover over the hilt of her bokken. Her nerves were shaking, but it seemed things had finally come to a head. "Tomoe and I will be leaving, now."

Sapphire blue clashed with molten amber. A small smile spread across Battousai's face, deliberate, devilish. Kaoru was struck with the random through that he was exceedingly handsome, with his fine-boned features and flaming hair. Despite the fact that his stature was smaller than his own men, Kaoru was under no illusions regarding his visibly muscular structure.

"Zanza tells me you're a swordswoman, and Kiyo seemed quite impressed by your skills. Why don't you show me?"

"Excuse me?" Kaoru's heart skipped a beat.

Battousai's voice had dropped to a silky challenge, "You seem so eager to fight me." He eyed the hand still resting atop her weapon. "Let's make it interesting, shall we?"

Kaoru knew she was in trouble. It was apparent she would have to fight her way out, but the glimmer in Battousai's eye warned her that he would not be an easy opponent. What to do? She had a fairly good idea what he was about to propose. To accept it, meant accepting the possibility that she and Tomoe would be forced to travel with them for longer than they had anticipated. To not accept...

She had no idea what Battousai was truly capable of.

"What do you have in mind?" Kaoru struggled to keep her voice steady.

"If you win, you and Yukishiro-san are free to leave. If I win, the both of you will stay until I say you can go."

It was what she'd expected. Kaoru felt a flash of uncertainty within her, but quickly pushed it aside. That attitude would condemn her to defeat before their fight even started. And she knew, one way or another, that this fight was going to happen.

"Deal."

"Kaoru, no!"

But Tomoe's protest went unheeded. In a flash, Battousai had drawn his sword and lunged for her chest. Kaoru leapt back and spun out of the way, drawing her bokken.

"You expect to fight me with that?" Battousai sounded offended. "Draw your katana."

"No," Kaoru refused. "This blade is not meant for you."

"You sound so certain," his tone held a deadly amusement to it, and Kaoru could almost see that amusement swirling in his eyes. "Suit yourself." He was playing with her. The thought of that sent a wave of anger crashing through her, and she attacked.

He was fast, parrying her movements with a grace and dexterity she found almost envious. Their weapons clashed, and Kaoru suppressed a triumphant grin at seeing the shock on his face when his sharpened sword failed to cut through her wooden one. This was no ordinary bokken she wielded.

They sprang apart, then clashed once more. Battousai swung in an arc towards the side of her neck, but Kaoru saw it coming. She twisted back, adjusting the distance between them and thrusting her bokken forward into the small opening his attack provided. But his movement continued fluidly, and he deflected her blow. With Kaoru's weapon lowered from his swing, he raised his sword over his head and swung down. Kaoru spun around, bringing the tip of her bokken up to brush against his side. She almost had a solid hit, but Battousai's speed was godlike as he swiftly moved out of reach.

They continued their dance step for step, striking, blocking, countering. Kaoru could feel the sweat trickling down her back, her breathing starting to come ragged. This was the first time since she had sparred her father that she felt herself struggling. Battousai suddenly closed in on her left, and she brought her bokken up to cross her body for protection. Too late, she realized it was a feint, and Battousai struck the hilt of her sword, the shock and pain from the action causing her fingers to lose their grip. Her weapon went crashing to the ground, and Kaoru found herself being driven back by Battousai's continued advance. Her foot stumbled, and suddenly it was over.

Kaoru froze, feeling the cold steel pressed against her throat. Her eyes locked onto Battousai's, and she could see the blaze of triumph shining in those golden depths. But he didn't move, nor did he lower his sword. Despite being an arm's length away, she could feel his presence against her, the tension between them suffocating her.

And she knew he was waiting for her to say the words.

"You win."

* * *

. 

As always, feedback is appreciated.


	3. Chapter Three

I'm amazed by the awesome reviews! Thanks so much!

To address a couple of comments:

While I am a die-hard K/K fan, I have always respected Tomoe and could never understand why there was such a widespread dislike for the character (at least, it seems that way from all the fanfics that cast her as the villain). I will come out and say now that Kaoru and Tomoe will retain their close friendship throughout this fanfic, and I have no plans to make Tomoe the antagonist or a contender for Kenshin's feelings.

Other characters from the series will also eventually be making their entrances into this fic, including but not limited to, Megumi and Misao. And yes, Akira is in this fic; Akira Kiyosato is Kiyo... not very subtle, I know. ;)

* * *

. 

**Three**

_Kaoru was sitting at the front of the dojo, her legs folded beneath her as she stared straight ahead at the plaque hanging above the rack of bokkens, reflecting. She had sparred one of the older boys today, although not much older -- twelve years to her ten. He was one of Father's best young students, being smart, swift, and strong._

_And she had lost._

_She heard the rustling of cloth behind her, alerting her to her father's presence. In a moment, he was sitting next to her, also gazing at that same spot on the wall ahead._

_"Do you wish to talk, Kaoru-chan?"_

_She shook her head._

_He made a soft sound, between a sigh and a tsk. "That attitude will not do, my love."_

_"I lost."_

_"I know."_

_Another minute of silence passed, before Kaoru ventured, "Are you disappointed in me?"_

_"Why would you think that?"_

_"Because... because, I wasn't as good as him. Because I'm supposed to carry on the style, and..."_

_"What makes you think you weren't as good as him?"_

_"I lost."_

_Her father chuckled, light and affectionate. "You did. But winning or losing does not make you any better or worse. This was the first match you lost, but it won't be the last. I am the Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and I have lost many matches."_

_"You?" Kaoru looked at him in surprise._

_"Yes, and it is likely that I will lose more. Do you think any less of me, knowing this?" Her father had also turned to look her in the eye._

_Kaoru adamantly shook her head._

_"There will always be someone out there more skilled than you, and you must accept that. Victory and defeat is not what's important. What matters, Kaoru, is that you know **why** you are fighting."_

_Kaoru nodded, "I understand."_

_He smiled at her before pulling her into his warm embrace. Kaoru threw her own arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder, inhaling the sent of sandalwood that clung to him._

_"Thank you, Father."_

Deep blue eyes opened hazily to the dim lighting offered by the single small candle in the corner of the tent. It was still in the pre-dawn hours, but Kaoru had gotten used to waking early these past few days. That, and she'd had a fitful night's rest, her mind occupied with what to expect next.

Maybe she'd been foolish in accepting Battousai's challenge, but she was bound to it now. Tomoe had not spoken specifically about it last night, but the look on her face said enough: she felt Kaoru should have thought through the situation a little better, but she would support her regardless. It gave her warmth, realizing she had such a friend.

Kaoru rose quietly, not wanting to wake Tomoe just yet. They had chosen to once again curl up together in the corner, leaving the rest of the cots untouched, save for the one Kiyo slept in. Kaoru still couldn't understand what was driving Battousai in forcing someone as injured as Kiyo was to travel, but she decided it wasn't her problem. There seemed to be much about that man she couldn't understand, including why he was ordering the two of them to move out with his men when it was so evident that he disliked them.

Well, at least it was evident that he disliked **her**, and she had to admit the feeling was mutual.

After only a moment's hesitation, Kaoru slipped an extra coat over her travel-worn clothes, grabbed her bokken, and stepped outside. The crisp morning air quickly sliced through the last vestiges of sleep. Her muscles were still sore and protesting, but she ignored them. Something told her she had a long day ahead of her. She headed towards the front of the enclave, down where the area opened up into the wider trails of the mountain. Finding a large patch of level, open ground, she quickly went through her old morning stretches. The movement felt good, loosening up the night's stiffness.

When she was done, she picked up her bokken and moved gracefully and easily through the first few forms of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. The first round, she executed each movement slowly and deliberately, her swings light, pausing between each strike to check her posture, her breathing. Bit by bit she sped up, going through the repetitions again and again, her movements becoming faster and stronger, but still just as precise. The familiarity of the actions brought back a measure of peace to her mind. She had always turned to her practice when she felt herself upset or stressed, and it never failed to soothe her. Eventually she began slowing down again, then finished her moves with a graceful flourish. Despite the chill morning air, she could feel a thin sheen of sweat trickle down her back. With her hands tingling and the blood pumping through her body, she felt, as always, remarkably **alive**.

With bokken in hand, she turned to head back towards the camp when she spotted a flash of red and blue and gold out of the corner of her eye.

"Battousai," she blinked startled eyes at the man, who was reclining languidly against a large boulder not twenty feet away. His arms were crossed over his chest, one leg swung casually in front of the other, and he was regarding her with steady eyes and a shuttered expression that revealed nothing of what he was thinking. In the pale grey light touching the sky, he looked almost ethereal, his flaming hair like a halo around his face, the odd cross-shaped scar across his left cheek starkly visible.

"You're up early," he remarked.

Kaoru shrugged, suddenly unsure what to say to the man. She had not noticed his approach, or the fact that he had apparently been watching her for some time. She found herself still upset over her defeat the previous evening, and a thousand questions fluttered into her mind, foremost of which was **why**. But she kept silent.

"Zanza and Kiyo were right," he continued, pushing himself away from the rock and stepping slowly towards her. "You have skill. I'm surprised."

Despite the attempt at a compliment, Kaoru felt her anger spark at the condescending tone of his voice. "It's my family's style," she told him, although she wasn't quite sure why. "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, a style that adheres to the principles of katsujin-ken. We teach the sword to protect."

"Is that so?" Battousai murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. He was standing less than a sword's length away, regarding her silently.

"What?"

"You're over-confident."

Kaoru snorted. "You of all people have the nerve to say that to me?"

Battousai shook his head slowly, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I'm just telling you what I've observed, both just now and in our... match, yesterday. Every strike, you act like you have something to prove. Your emotions are obvious, it makes your movements predictable."

Kaoru eyed the man before her, considering his words. "Why are you telling me this?"

He shrugged, his expression unchanging. "I'm in a generous mood today."

"Is that so?"

"Take my advice, or don't. Reign in your ego. Yes, you're a woman, and you practice swordsmanship. Yes, people will find it odd, and judge you for it. Ignore them. Focus on your opponents, not yourself."

Kaoru was struck at his words, at the way he had assessed her insecurities so callously. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine her father's expression, solemn and knowing. She forced herself to loosen the death grip she had suddenly applied to the hilt of her bokken, and swallowed her pride. "Thanks," she mumbled. She truly did not understand this man, she decided.

Battousai nodded his head, and Kaoru thought she saw the traces of a question lingering behind his eyes. But he didn't voice it, and so Kaoru continued on her way back without another word.

Battousai watched her go, not moving, not speaking. He watched as she made her way down the slope that led to their campground, her sword still clutched in her hand, her gait a little stiff, her long dark hair blowing gently in the early breeze. When she was out of sight, he looked up, marking the brilliant hues that had begun to streak across the sky. The sun was rising, and they would need to be on their way soon.

He looked back in the direction the woman had gone, and considered. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on, something that unsettled him. If it had just been her audacity in judging him, he would have put it off. As it was, he had thought her nothing more than a bitter visionary, one of those types who seemed to relish finding the flaws in everything but loathe to do anything about it.

And then they had sparred.

It was not something he'd planned on, but when the opportunity presented itself he found he couldn't resist. Although he didn't like to indulge it, he at least acknowledged that he had a sadistic streak.

He had made the decision to include the two women on the next leg of their journey after talking with Kiyo. The younger man had been more distraught than he'd let on at the healer's prognosis. To lose the full use of one's arm was a hard blow for a swordsman, but Battousai was not inclined to pamper a person with sympathies. He instead forced Kiyo to begin thinking about his future, to consider what he would devote his life to now.

They would feel the loss of Kiyo's presence among them, Battousai knew that. But their way was their way, and no one was questioning it. Between the two of them, they decided they would take a detour into the northern town of Hatsui. The place lay nearly two day's journey from here and would take them out of the mountain chain they were currently cutting through. It would also put them off their scheduled path for a while longer, but the town was large enough that Kiyo could receive more extensive medical attention and could remain there in comfort while he recovered.

The only downside was that it would require the healer to remain amongst them until they reached there, and her friend as well.

Once again, Battousai's thoughts drifted back to the previous evening. He had been trained to perceive the emotions of others, and had been told he had a gift for it, both on the battlefield and off. When he was fighting, it served him well in predicting his opponents. When he was not fighting, he could see the motivations and faults of the people he dealt with, and he'd often used that to his advantage.

He had thought he had accurately gauged the woman, Kamiya, from their first encounter. It was only when he fought her that he began to question his initial assessment. To be sure, there was a bitterness and a ferocity to her. But there was an openness as well, and a darkness. The two stood in such stark contrast that Battousai found himself perplexed.

By habit, he slept little. He was often up early, especially when his thoughts were occupied. It had been no different this morning, except that his private reveries had been interrupted when he spotted a figure cutting across his camp. He knew who it was immediately, and before he had much chance to wonder at it, he was following her. Truth be told, he figured perhaps she was making arrangements to break their agreement, perhaps looking for a way to slip out of their range. And then he had spotted the bokken strapped to her hip.

At first he did not understand why she continued to use that weapon when she had what appeared to be a perfectly good blade at her disposal. But if what she said was true, that her family taught swordsmanship as a way of protecting, of giving life, then it made sense. As he watched her practice her forms, her movements swift and sure, he found himself once again trying to read her, to catch a glimpse of what he had sensed buried within her last night. Certain things had become clear -- the things he had pointed out to her earlier, although he himself wasn't quite sure what prompted his little speech. But that was hardly what was bothering him about the woman.

And it was the not knowing that made him uneasy.

At least, it would only be a couple more days before they parted ways. He did not think she was dangerous, or that she necessarily posed a risk to him or his men, despite her obvious suspicions. Still, he would keep an eye on her.

The sounds of his men beginning to make preparations for their departure drifted towards him. He spent another minute watching as the sun broke free of the horizon and cast its glow across the rocky expanse before him. It looked as though the day would dawn fair and clear.

* * *

. 

Kaoru tried to recall what, if anything, she'd heard about Hatsui, but nothing sprang to mind.

As expected, Battousai and his men began moving out shortly after sunrise, headed north towards the town. She had to admit that their efficiency and coordination had been remarkable. Although, if it weren't for Kiyo, Kaoru suspected both she and Tomoe would still be in the dark about where they were headed or why.

After she had returned to their tent earlier this morning, she had found Tomoe awake and re-dressing Kiyo's bandages, the two of them engaged in light conversation. Kaoru explained that she had just stepped out to go through some warm-ups, but she didn't mention running into Battousai. Kiyo then told them, briefly, about his conversation with the man yesterday -- that they had decided it would be for the best if they detoured to Hatsui.

Kaoru had frowned upon hearing that, knowing that the town lay just to the north of the mountains and that the change of direction would add a significant amount of time to their journey. She checked her maps, though it only served to confirm her thoughts. Once they left Hatsui, they would either have to backtrack into the mountains to continue on the route they were originally headed, or they would have to skirt the entire chain to head west, which would mean a much longer journey.

But what was done was done, and they didn't have a choice, now. On the bright side, Kaoru thought, at least it would give them an opportunity to replenish their supplies. And depending on what sort of ties Hatsui maintained with the larger realm, they could perhaps barter for passage with a trade caravan, or maybe even rent a horse if they decided to forgo the mountain trails.

She decided it would be best to cross that bridge when they came to it. It was hard to plan without knowing what options would be available to them once they arrived.

They had been traveling in a somewhat stifling silence for the past few hours now. Several times she and Tomoe had exchanged looks, wanting to speak to each other, but feeling uncomfortable among the stern faces surrounding them. Okashira and Hanya had gone ahead to act as scouts, while Zanza and Tenken were some distance behind, guarding their rear. That left her and Tomoe with Hyottoko and Shikijo, who were carrying Kiyo between them, along with Battousai and the boy, Yahiko.

To her surprise, they had fashioned a sling of sorts to transport Kiyo, and the two hulking men were variously switching turns in carrying their injured comrade. It didn't look very comfortable, for anyone involved, but apparently that was the solution they had come up with. Kaoru felt sorry for Kiyo, having to be transported like that across all this distance.

And so their day passed in that fashion. Kaoru realized that were it not for Kiyo's injuries, Battousai and his men would have kept up a relentless pace, one that she would have been hard-pressed to follow. As it was, they stopped every so often to let Hyottoko and Shikijo rest, to let Kiyo feel the ground under him, and to let Tomoe check on her inadvertent patient. What little conversation that took place was restricted to the business at hand: Battousai giving orders, comments about the trail or which path was best, Tomoe's hushed requests as she tended to Kiyo.

Kaoru caught herself, more than once, sneaking glances at Battousai as she considered his words from the morning. He had seemed almost... civil. Granted, she was probably being unfairly harsh in her judgment of the man, but his behavior made her curious. In their short acquaintance, she had seen several sides to the man: an arrogant brute that annoyed her, a capable commander that inspired his men, a fearsome fighter that she could almost respect, and now a rational person with keen insights.

Confusing, indeed.

By nightfall, they had reached the final pass that led out of the mountains. Okashira and Hanya were waiting for them, a campground selected and a fire already burning. Not more than twenty minutes after their group had arrived, Zanza and Tenken followed. No tent was set up for this night. Once again, the men set to work in silence, arranging the sleeping rolls, making preparations for dinner, securing their belongings for the night. Kaoru and Tomoe did what they could to help.

Once again, it appeared Battousai would be the one preparing their dinner. From the smell of it, it was the same broth they had eaten the previous day, but Kaoru had to admit it tasted good, and she was looking forward to it again. Tomoe had retrieved some of the dried rations they kept in their pack and distributed it amongst them, making her own small contribution to the meal.

In a short time, they were all seated around the small fire, indulging in what warmth they could before the night's chill fully set in, and finishing the last of the food. Tenken broke the silence, which didn't appear to be awkward to anyone else, with a request for Tomoe. "Will you tell us another story?"

Tomoe sent a hesitant glance towards Kaoru, obviously unable to think of a polite way to decline. Kaoru shrugged her shoulders, indicating her friend should go ahead. After so long spent in relative silence, it would be good to hear a tale. But Tomoe surprised her, instead deferring to Kaoru. "I think Kaoru should tell the tale tonight. She has a way with words."

Kaoru's eyes widened and she shot her friend an incredulous look. She was about to shake her head in denial when Zanza chimed in, "Go for it, jou-chan."

Kaoru could feel her face reddening at the way he addressed her in front of everyone. She saw Tomoe's brow lifted in question, and, oddly, Battousai's as well. "Zanza," she bit out sharply, then thought better of it. "All right."

After considering a moment, she decided upon a stirring tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and redemption. It was the story of two young men who had befriended each other as boys and sworn oaths of fealty, one to the other. They vowed they would always be there for one another, to rejoice in the other's happiness, weep for the other's sorrow, and protect the other's interests. The two grew into handsome young men, skilled fighters, gallant and respected. But when a dark tragedy befell one of the men, he began to turn, slowly but steadily, towards darker pursuits. His friend did all that he could to revive the beloved spirit he had known, but to no avail. Finally, the fallen man reached a precipice, but rather than fall alone, he called upon the oaths the two had sworn as children. His friend was torn between loyalty on the one hand and righteousness on the other.

In the end, he made his decision. He sacrificed his life in one last effort to the save the soul of the man he had loved as a brother, and to atone for the sins he'd committed when he chose to uphold his vows. The death had its intended effect. The man who had succumbed to murderous cruelty finally realized the gift he had forsaken. He fled into the mountains to seek a life of solitude and penance, and there he remained. Decades passed, and eventually word spread throughout the land of a hermit who had attained a remarkable wisdom, and people began making pilgrimages to speak with him.

When asked how he had achieved such a presence of mind, the man would only smile sadly, and reply that the matters of the mind were all that was left to him, as his heart had been sacrificed long, long ago.

With the tale finished, Kaoru sat back on her heels and regarded the men around her. They were all staring intently into the crackling flames, considering.

"That was well-told," Hanya finally glanced up to regard her. There were murmurs of assent from the others.

"My thanks," Kaoru nodded in gratitude.

"Was there, perhaps, a reason behind your choice of story?" the words were hushed, but Kaoru knew instinctively that the voice was Battousai's.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard the question."

Kaoru regarded the man, his eyes almost glittering as the flames reflected off his face. "It's a tale I know, and one I enjoyed when I was younger."

"Is that all?"

"Battousai," Okashira spoke quietly, "leave it be."

Kaoru realized, then, what Battousai thought. "It's a tale my father told me," she replied anyway, looking him straight in the eye. "It tells of the honor of a man's spirit, and of a life given to reflection. Does the tale speak to you, Battousai?"

It was a challenge, and everyone knew it. There was an almost audible intake of breath, as those seated wondered what would happen next. They had heard, of course, about the match between Battousai and Kaoru.

Again there was that questioning gleam in the man's eyes, a flicker of thought. "Perhaps you should ask yourself that same question, Kamiya." It was the first time he'd addressed her by name, and that startled her. Battousai stood, a movement fluid and dangerous, and stalked off into the shadows. Kaoru's eyes followed him, but it wasn't long before even his flaming hair was swallowed by the dark night.

* * *

. 

The rest of their travel passed uneventfully. They rose and departed swiftly the next morning, and the same groups were maintained: Okashira and Hanya as scouts, Zanza and Tenken as rear-guards, and the rest making their way together.

The tension from the previous night between Kaoru and Battousai had not dissipated. They kept their distance and their silence, at least until Tomoe finally pulled Kaoru aside to whisper to her.

"Why are you so intent on provoking him, Kaoru?" she kept her voice low, and spoke the words directly into her ear so that none of the others would overhear. It must have looked strange, as though they were conspiring, but at that point neither cared.

"I was not provoking!" Kaoru declared in her defense, mindful to keep her own voice low.

"Then what would you call it?"

"I told a story, like you asked."

"That story?"

"Truly, Tomoe, there was no ulterior motive behind it. I honestly didn't think anyone would take it amiss."

Tomoe eyed her, and apparently decided she was telling the truth. "Still, you shouldn't challenge him like that."

"Why not?"

"He's dangerous."

Kaoru knew that, but for some reason when they clashed, it didn't seem to matter.

They made their way out of the mountains and down into the valley to the north. After a while, they could see the outline of the buildings in the distance, and Kaoru felt a surge of relief. They would reach Hatsui shortly after nightfall, and then things would go back to normal.

As anticipated, they made their way into the town almost two hours after sunset. It was larger than Kaoru expected, much larger than Nari, but not as big as some of the cities like Mizuni were rumored to be. There were rows and rows of small buildings, erected in an orderly fashion, ranging from shops to taverns to hostels, all mixed in with one another. It was difficult to see what lay beyond these buildings in the dark, but Kaoru was sure they'd have plenty of time to explore the next day. There were still several people milling about, some offering them curious looks. It appeared that travelers were not uncommon here.

Apparently, Okashira had gone on ahead to make arrangements for them, while Hanya stayed behind to await their arrival. Once they had all assembled, he gave Battousai directions to where they had secured rooms for the men. He then turned to Kaoru and Tomoe. "There is a small clinic down that way," he pointed in the indicated direction, "I will take you and Kiyo there. There is a small staff awaiting you, but the doctor will not be in until the morning."

"Say no more," Tomoe smiled at the man, "We'll look after Kiyo. Thank you for finding a space for us."

"It was my honor," Hanya inclined his head, then moved to help support Kiyo to the clinic, with Kaoru and Tomoe following.

It was not far, but Kaoru took the time to try to observe the layout of the town. It seemed the businesses were segregated from the homes, as she didn't see any buildings in this quarter that appeared to be residences.

They arrived at the clinic, and sure enough there was a young woman seated outside waiting for them. She was smaller than Kaoru, with a short bob of raven-dark hair and friendly brown eyes that sparkled even in the moonlight. "And this would be our newest patient," she smiled at them, leading them inside. "I'm Sakura, and I help run this clinic. If you need anything, please just ask me."

They made their introductions, and Hanya led Kiyo inside to the room he would stay in. There was an adjacent room with twin sleeping mats intended for Tomoe and Kaoru, and Sakura indicated that she stayed in the room across the corridor. There were apparently two other inhabitants, both of whom were lodged on the other side of the clinic, where the other patient rooms were. Sakura assured them they would meet the others tomorrow, along with the doctor, who usually came in first thing in the morning.

With the arrangements laid out, Hanya took his leave. Tomoe saw Kiyo settled into his room, then re-joined Kaoru in theirs. It felt wonderful to finally have a cushioned place to sleep, and Kaoru sighed as she indulged in the comfort.

"It's nice to get to sleep indoors again," Tomoe's words echoed her thoughts.

"Mm-hmm, and I'm sure we can find someplace to take another bath tomorrow. I smell." Kaoru wrinkled her nose.

Tomoe smiled, "Yes, I didn't want to mention that before..."

Kaoru huffed and threw a pillow at her friend, who merely laughed as it bounced off her outstretched hands.

They settled in for the night, and after all the stress and strain of the past few days, sleep came quickly to the both of them.

* * *

. 

It was late in the morning by the time Kaoru finally stepped out of the clinic.

After sleeping more than she was used to while traveling, she awoke to find Tomoe already awake and closeted in Kiyo's room with the doctor, the two of them consulting. Apparently they had already gone through the story behind his injuries as well as Tomoe's actions following, because they were reviewing the man's various fractures and the best way to proceed in setting the bones.

Kaoru spent some time leaning in the doorway and watching, noticing the mildly terrified look on Kiyo's face as they discussed him like a specimen. Tomoe was listening with rapt attention. The doctor was an elderly man with dark hair graying on the sides, kind looking, but with a sharp air around him. Kaoru doubted he missed much, and was glad that Kiyo would be left in capable hands. Whatever her opinion of the man Kiyo had chosen to follow, she genuinely liked this young man.

Tomoe glanced up and noticed her, then motioned for her to come in. They had introduced themselves, and the doctor, a man named Tohei, had remarked to her how fine a job Tomoe had done. Kaoru smiled, and told him that was nothing new. Tomoe told her Sakura had prepared a morning meal for them, and Kaoru thanked her and went in search of said meal.

Finding Sakura, she sat down to eat and chatted with the young woman about the town. She learned that Dr. Tohei had been settled here for over twenty years, and that Sakura and the two other apprentices were just the latest in a string of young people that the doctor had trained over the years. Apparently the town had flourished considerably over the last three years or so, after peacefully deciding to join the expanding territory under one of the country's most powerful warlords, a man named Hajime Saitou. That agreement opened Hatsui up to flocks of merchants and travelers, increasing the town's wealth. It turned out that Hatsui did indeed have established trade routes with several of the larger cities under Saitou's control, but Mizuni was not one of them. While goods from the coastal city did reach Hatsui, it was through transfers in another city, further to the northwest.

Kaoru also inquired into the facilities the town provided, and Sakura told her of a public hot spring on the outskirts of the business district. Kaoru's initial assessment had been correct, that the town was sectioned off into quarters for the shops, residences, farmlands, and the newly erected governor's estates. At the mention of the spring, Kaoru asked whether the clinic had any bathhouses, and she was directed to an adjacent structure. She thanked Sakura graciously for the hospitality and decided she would take that bath she had craved the night before.

When she was done, she checked in on Tomoe once more. The elder woman was still talking with Dr. Tohei, but excused herself to chat with Kaoru for a few minutes. She revealed that Dr. Tohei had invited her to accompany him on his visits to his other patients later in the day, and that she had accepted. Kaoru smiled warmly, not very surprised. If Tomoe didn't mind the delay that staying in Hatsui an extra day or two would cause, then she was fine with it.

With that settled, Kaoru decided she would take some time to explore the town on her own. To her surprise, she found the boy, Yahiko, sitting just outside the clinic. He stood when he saw her exit, scowling.

"Is something the matter?" she asked him.

"You sure took your time getting up this morning," he replied.

"I didn't know you were waiting for me."

"Battousai told me to wait for you."

"Is that so?" Kaoru quirked an eyebrow, wondering at his prickly attitude.

"He wants to talk to you."

"Then he should have come himself." Kaoru was tempted to brush past the boy.

"He wants you to train me," Yahiko finally blurted out, the expression on his face replaced by one of embarrassment.

"Excuse me?" Kaoru was floored. "Train you in what, exactly?"

"Your sword-style," Yahiko mumbled, looking down at the ground.

Kaoru was silent, surprised beyond words. The request seemed to have come out of nowhere. "I thought you all would be leaving shortly."

Yahiko shook his head. "We're sticking around, not sure for how long."

She looked at the boy, assessing him. While his presence amongst Battousai's group had always struck her as odd, she had never paid it much thought. Now, she did.

"Why do you travel with him?" she asked.

"I know what you think," Yahiko suddenly looked up at her with glinting eyes. "Battousai's not like that. He saved my life."

This declaration startled Kaoru. "How so?"

"I don't want to talk about it." The boy's brusque exterior was back.

Kaoru sighed. She apparently wasn't going to get much else out of Yahiko. He was alternating between displaying a typical boyish shyness and an annoyingly hostile attitude. He had a fierce pride to him, and Kaoru suspected there was something in his past that he was trying to compensate for.

"Alright then," she conceded, "You said Battousai wanted to talk to me. Where is he?"

"This way," Yahiko indicated with a flick of his head, then led her through the busy streets. There were dozens upon dozens of people out, no matter which streets they took, running errands and socializing. She took the opportunity to glance around, better able to see the faces and shops in the daylight. She noted the bright smiles and joyful greetings that were exchanged, and thought that the town must truly be prospering. It had taken a long time for such expressions to return to the people of Nari, after the invasion.

They came upon a small hostel, evidently the place where they had rented rooms for the night. The building was taller than those that surrounded it, erected from a mixture of gray stone and dark wood. Yahiko took her inside and through the main parlor, then led her outside again through a door in the back. It opened into a courtyard of sorts; there was a small garden to the left, and a clothesline for linen and bedspread hanging on the right.

Battousai was hunched on the far side of the garden, toiling over something. It was only when they approached that Kaoru saw he was pulling weeds and trimming plants.

"We're back," Yahiko called out in greeting, "and I brought the woman with me."

"The woman?" Kaoru huffed to herself.

Battousai stood smoothly and turned to face them, a streak of mud on his scarred cheek and on the backs of his hands. "Took you long enough."

"Tell that to ugly over here," Yahiko leaned his head in her direction, only to feel a sharp slap against the back of it a moment later.

"Who are you calling ugly?"

Battousai raised one eyebrow, a hint of amusement on his face. "How is Kiyo?"

The question surprised Kaoru, even though it shouldn't have. "He's fine. The doctor has checked on him, and he and Tomoe are handling his treatment."

"Good," Battousai nodded curtly, then continued. "I take it Yahiko has told you of my request."

"Yes, he did. And I think it's a stupid request. I can't fathom what you expect me to teach him in two days."

"Two days?" Battousai gave her a curious look.

"Yes, Tomoe and I will be leaving in a couple of days."

"Have you forgotten our bargain already?" he took a step towards her, and Kaoru took one back.

Kaoru felt her building irritation turn on the redhead. "We accompanied you here, didn't we?"

"Apparently you misunderstood," Battousai blinked calm eyes at her. "Our deal was that you would remain with us until I said you could go. Not just until we reached Hatsui."

Kaoru struggled for words to express her outrage. "That's... that's--"

Battousai continued, ignoring her. "I've decided we will stay here for a while longer. A couple of weeks, maybe. Fortunately, I'm not inclined to keep you around any more than is necessary. But for the time being, you will stay, and you will put your time to good use by training Yahiko in swordsmanship."

Kaoru narrowed her eyes at the man, glaring. "I don't have to agree to this."

"No, you don't, but I think you will."

Yahiko suddenly declared, "Forget it! I told you it was a stupid idea, I don't want to be trained by some ugly girl, anyway!"

Kaoru shifted her glare onto the boy, and he promptly closed his mouth.

"Why don't you train him yourself?" she shot the question to Battousai.

To her surprise, he paused, as if truly considering her question. A shadow flickered behind his eyes, and his voice was noticeably lower when he answered. "I think your style is better suited, Kamiya-san."

Kaoru blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. For a brief moment, it seemed like his entire demeanor had shifted, a flash of vulnerability revealed. But when she looked now, the same cold mask was in place, the same hard eyes.

She considered, truly considered, the request. Would it be such a bad thing to take a few days to work with the boy? Her father had taught the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu to several of the men in their village, and she had helped out often enough with the younger boys. As far as technique went, it would just be the basics, really, that she would be teaching him. But it provided her an opportunity to introduce the philosophy behind her family's style to someone else, someone outside of Nari. Eyeing the boy, she wondered if it would be worth it with him, if he could understand or accept the principles of katsujin-ken, or if she'd just be wasting her breath. It would be interesting to find out.

And besides, if Kaoru was honest with herself, she would admit that the mission she had haphazardly concocted for herself after they reached Mizuni could very well be suicide. If the worst occurred, at least there would be one more person in this world to carry some knowledge of her family's style, even if the successorship died out with her.

"Alright, I'll do it. But I'm not making any promises regarding his progress -- that's up to the boy's own skill and determination."

"I'm not a boy!" Yahiko shouted at her.

Battousai gave her a self-satisfied look, and for a moment Kaoru regretted accepting his order. "Good, you'll begin working with him today."

"Fine," Kaoru turned to Yahiko, slapping him once again across the back of his head. "Your first lesson: learn to show me some respect."

* * *

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I'd love to know what you think!


	4. Chapter Four

Once again, thank you for all the wonderful reviews!

* * *

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**Four**

_"They won't _listen _to me, Father!" Kaoru complained about the boys in the children's class her father had entrusted her to teach. "They just run around and they don't pay attention to what I'm trying to tell them."_

_Kaoru was fourteen, and now a formally titled Assistant Instructor for the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. Of course such a title came with new responsibilities, which included teaching the children's classes. The boys in the class ranged from six to ten, and there were eight students enrolled. Handling them all by herself was a bit of a trial, but she had been determined to prove to her father that she could handle the job._

_That was, of course, until the first day of class._

_The boys had an impressive amount of energy, but they didn't focus very well. The older ones could better grasp the concepts she was trying to teach them, but their preconceived notions about a woman teacher made them skeptical and argumentative. The younger ones were much friendlier towards her, but they were more interested in having fun and didn't take the lessons seriously._

_After two weeks of struggling to find a way to connect with her students, Kaoru finally caved and vented her frustrations to her father. And once again, he simply looked at her with amusement in his eyes and a bright smile on his face. "It's quite a challenge, isn't it?" he asked her._

_Kaoru glowered at him in response._

_That only made him laugh aloud. "It's very different being a teacher, and being a student."_

_"I figured out that much."_

_"Come here, my heart." Her father extended his hand toward her, and Kaoru took it, letting herself be drawn to his side. "Every student has his own strengths and weaknesses, his own background, his own goals. To be a good teacher, you must understand your students. No one will do what you say just because you tell them. And no one will understand what you mean just because you say it. You must say it in a way they will understand, and then they will do as you ask them, because they understand you, and because they respect you."_

_"I guess that makes sense," Kaoru considered his words. "Did you have a lot of trouble when you started teaching?"_

_"Oh, lots," her father smiled at her, his warm brown eyes twinkling. "But it turned out that my toughest student was also my best."_

_"Who was that?"_

_"You."_

"Again!" Kaoru's voice was commanding, but not unkind. She watched with a critical eye as Yahiko once again swung his shinai down from an overhead arc, beginning another set of twenty-five repetitions. The boy was breathing hard, sweat trickling down his face, and she could see the tremors in his arms as he lifted and struck, lifted and struck.

Today was the second day of their training. After having agreed to Battousai's request the previous day, she had taken Yahiko back to the clinic, instructing him on her expectations. They used the courtyard space there as their training ground, where she had drilled him on the basic strikes and introduced him to the philosophy her father had taught her. To her surprise, he was not mocking or condescending. He listened to her words with attentiveness and a veiled eagerness.

"Stop," Kaoru told him once he had completed his set. Yahiko lowered the shinai, letting his arms hang at his sides. "Your arms ache, am I right?"

He nodded his head.

"Why do you think that is?"

A flash of annoyance crossed his face. "Because you made me swing this thing two hundred times!"

"And if you were in a battle, how many times do you imagine you'd swing a sword?"

Yahiko looked at her for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders, shifting his gaze to the ground.

Kaoru sighed, "I'm not criticizing you. But for all your maturity, you are still a young boy, and boys do not have the physical strength of men. So stop trying to act like one."

At this, he looked up at her again.

"You don't need raw arm strength to swing a sword or a shinai; that will come, as you practice, and as you get older, but it's not necessary. You're relying on the muscles in your arms to strike, and you're getting tired because of it. The sword is not a weapon, it's an extension of yourself. It's part of you, connected to your center. So move from there. Let the momentum of your shinai carry it down, that's where it's natural path lies. Don't tense, don't force the shinai with your muscles. Keep your grip relaxed, your stance relaxed, like this."

She picked up her own bokken, lifted it over her head, and swung down in a swift and controlled movement that cut the air around them with a tangible force. Yahiko's eyes widened in surprise, and Kaoru suppressed a smile. "Want to try it?"

He nodded and moved to raise his shinai once again, but Kaoru put a hand out to block him. "After lunch," she told him, "I'm starving!"

"Me, too," he agreed, "You've been working me for four hours!"

"Is that a complaints?"

"No," Yahiko grumbled after a moment.

"Good," Kaoru smiled at him, "because we're just getting started."

Yahiko continued to sulk as they made their way back into the clinic, where the aroma of Sakura's cooking left their stomachs growling. The young woman was nowhere to be seen, but she had thoughtfully left a few dishes out for them. Kaoru and Yahiko dug in gratefully, and the nourishment seemed to help restore some of the boy's spirits.

After a few minutes of silence, Yahiko ventured a question. "How long have you been studying swordsmanship?"

Kaoru set her cup down, counting the years in her mind. "Well, for as long as I can remember my father trained me in very subtle ways. He formally began teaching me his style when I was about four, so I guess that would make it thirteen years."

"Hn," Yahiko grunted, then spoke again. "But you're a girl."

"I am."

"Why did he bother to train you?"

Kaoru huffed, "If he hadn't _bothered_ to train me, then I wouldn't be here to train you, would I?"

"I didn't mean it that way," Yahiko bristled in annoyance. "I just meant, well--"

"I know what you meant," Kaoru's voice softened. "My father didn't have any other children. My mother died giving birth to me, and he refused to re-marry. But he had faith in me, and trusted me to carry on our family's style."

"Does your father still teach a lot of people?"

Now, Kaoru was silent. "My father passed away two years ago."

"Oh," Yahiko's voice dropped to a whisper. "My parents are dead, too."

Kaoru studied her wayward new student. He refused to look her in the eye, but she could see the pain hidden in his features, locked away much as her own was. "I'm sorry," she said. "How?"

"Bandits, I'm told," he replied. "I don't really remember them, they died about seven years ago."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "Did you have family to take you in?"

Yahiko shook his head, but didn't answer.

"You said..." and here, Kaoru knew she was venturing into dangerous territory, but she couldn't help asking the question. "You said Battousai saved your life. What happened?"

The boy looked up at her, his deep brown eyes holding far too much sadness and knowledge for someone his age. "I got involved with the wrong people. He rescued me. I wanted to be strong, like him, so I followed him, and he let me."

Kaoru considered his words in light of what she knew about Battousai. It just didn't seem to fit, in her mind. "I see."

"Why don't you like him?"

The question surprised Kaoru. "I don't--" she started to deny it, but realized it was best to be honest. "I don't know. I just don't know him, I guess, not like you do."

The two lapsed into silence again, but Kaoru let the questions hovering in her mind remain unspoken. Battousai was obviously skilled with the sword, and Yahiko obviously wanted to learn. So why not teach the boy himself? Or ask Kiyo, or another man in his group? Why ask her? She doubted even Yahiko knew the answer to that, but she found herself strangely grateful. It was nice, having a student to teach, to train with, to learn from.

"You ready to get started again?" she finally asked.

Yahiko nodded and stood, and the two made their way back outside, both unexpectedly eager to build off their newfound rapport.

* * *

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That night, Kaoru lay on her cot in the empty room, staring up at the ceiling, reminiscing. She couldn't sleep yet, and Tomoe had yet to return for the night. She had seen little of her friend this past day and a half, as the older woman was wrapped up in errands for the doctor.

As if her thoughts had summoned her, Tomoe stepped lightly into the room, sliding the screen closed behind her. Kaoru studied her face and noted the slight smile hovering over her softened features. "You look happy," she mused.

Tomoe glanced over, surprised to find Kaoru still awake. "I thought you'd be asleep by now. With all the time you've been spending training Yahiko, I figured you'd be exhausted."

Kaoru sat up and shrugged. "He's still learning the basics, so it's not very tough on me yet. How's Kiyo?"

"He's well," again, there was that smile on her face. "Still recovering."

"You've been spending a lot of time with him?"

"Mm," Tomoe acknowledged idly as she sat down to comb out her hair. "Between his physical therapy, and my time spent helping Dr. Tohei out in the town, I've been keeping pretty busy."

"You're loving every minute of this, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Tomoe turned to look at Kaoru, her face glowing.

"It is," Kaoru nodded, her voice a little quieter.

"Oh, Kaoru!" Tomoe set her brush down and came to sit next to her. "I never imagined my life could feel this good! I'm helping people, and learning the things I've always wanted to learn, and for the first time since we left Nari, I can wake up in the morning and know that I did the right thing."

Kaoru hugged her friend tightly, "I'm glad for you."

Tomoe returned the embrace warmly. "I know this has been hard for you," she told Kaoru, "thank you for sticking with me."

"Where else would I go?" Kaoru asked with a twinkle in her eye. "Besides, I'm stuck here now, anyway."

"Is Battousai still goading you?"

"Fortunately I didn't have to see him today. But his words are always hanging over my head, especially now that I'm training Yahiko."

"How's that working out, anyway?"

Kaoru considered the question for a moment. "I think he has promise. It's weird, at first he seemed like such a headstrong brat, and I guess in a way he kind of is. But, I don't know... he has a passion for it, and although he tries to hide it, he's pretty attentive. We had a nice talk today."

"You like teaching him," Tomoe observed.

A small smile crept over her own face, not unlike the one Tomoe was sporting earlier. "I do. It reminds me of the time I spent with my father, reminds me that I want to pass our family's style on to future generations."

"You will."

"Thanks," Kaoru answered a little distractedly, her mind wandering back to the silent vow she had made, standing over her father's grave. Two years ago, the warlord Makoto Shishio had marched his men and his mercenaries into Nari, destroying the peace of her life and the promise of her future. And afterwards, grieving over her father's death and recovering from her own wounds, she made a promise to herself. She knew, with that promise, that she risked sacrificing everything she had ever wanted for herself.

But to avenge her father, it was worth it.

* * *

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The next morning, Kaoru made her way down to the hostel Yahiko and the others were staying at. She had warned him the day before to stay ready, because she was going to take him on a jog through  
the town before they began their practice. It was a good day for a brisk jog, with the skies clear, the sun shining warmly, and a cool breeze blowing through the air. The wind ruffled her thick hair, which was tied into a high ponytail, so Kaoru swung it up and into a makeshift bun.

Arriving at the now familiar building, she entered and spotted the owner's wife wiping down one of the tables in the parlor. "Good morning!" Kaoru called out to the elderly woman cheerfully.

"Ah, good morning to you, too...?"

"Kaoru, Kaoru Kamiya."

The two had seen each other several times over the past couple of days, exchanging pleasantries, as Kaoru either came to pick up Yahiko or see him home.

"Kaoru-san," the woman smiled at her, "here for Yahiko?"

Kaoru nodded her head, "Has he been down yet?"

"He's out back with the others," she indicated the door that let outside. "In all my years, these young men are some of the most gracious tenants I've ever had! They help with laundry, cooking, gardening, cleaning... if only everyone was so considerate."

Smiling to cover her surprise at the words, Kaoru simply replied, "It must be difficult running this place."

"It seems to get harder as the years go by. These old bones don't keep up like they used to."

"Oh, those bones have plenty of spice left in them!"

"Don't tell that to my husband," she winked at Kaoru, "I've finally managed to convince him to hire some help around here."

Kaoru laughed, "Your secret is safe with me."

The innkeeper excused herself to go straighten the rooms, and Kaoru headed outside. She spotted the group over by the clotheslines, conferring amongst themselves. As she got closer, her ears perked as she heard bits of the conversation. Yahiko was there, as were Battousai, Okashira, and Zanza.

"What do you think he's planning?" Battousai was asking.

"The rumors are that Shishio is establishing bases from which to launch a full-scale takeover of the country," Okashira replied. "And his strength is growing. The message Hanya received last night said the siege of Ryuto was over in just two days."

Kaoru swallowed the lump in her throat, hearing that.

"Have the others responded?" Zanza asked.

"Not yet, no, but by now Saitou has to be feeling the pinch. Shishio's borders are creeping along his own, and if he's not careful, he'll find himself encircled. The warlords in the South are too busy fighting amongst themselves to take much notice."

Hajime Saitou was currently the country's most powerful warlord, his territory encompassing the entire northern region of the country. He had been making inroads to the South and East recently, Hatsui just being one of the many towns that had opted to surrender under his banner in recent years. But Makoto Shishio, the warlord who ruled the Western lands, had been expanding, too. And unlike Saitou, who over the past few years had turned to offering trade, economic, and political incentives to get the independent towns to join his territory, Shishio's surrenders came involuntarily, through the use of bloodshed and conquest.

And if Shishio had captured Ryuto, another village in the East, not far from Nari, it meant the two warlords were headed towards an inevitable collision. The Eastern villages had remained independent for nearly a century. With both Saitou and Shishio now making claims on those lands, the results could be disastrous. As it stood, the city of Mizuni, which was in the West of the country but ruled by Saitou, sat just forty miles north of Jinro, the capital of Shishio's domain. Okashira was right in saying that Saitou had much to be worried about, if Shishio were to capture enough territory along the East.

"Well, Saitou's not the kind of man to just sit back and do nothing," Zanza mused, "Or else he never would have gained as much land as he has."

"Well, it has little to do with us at the moment," Battousai shrugged. "Tell Hanya to keep his ear to the ground, let us know what else develops. But for the time being, we have a job to do here. Okashira - go get the others, tell them to meet us there. Yahiko - you have your training today, right?"

Yahiko nodded, "She should be here soon."

The words brought her out of her own reverie, and Kaoru stepped out towards them. "There you are," she announced her presence, as if having just arrived.

The group turned to look at her. Okashira gave her a brief nod of greeting as he walked past her, back inside the building. Zanza waved her over. "Morning, Jou-chan!" he called out.

Kaoru twitched at the nickname, but she had to admit she was starting to get used to it. "Morning," she greeted back. "You ready?" she looked at Yahiko, but she couldn't help wondering what 'job' Battousai and the others were doing. She couldn't forget that they were mercenaries, and it could be anything.

"Yep," Yahiko replied.

"And how are the lessons going?" Battousai asked.

"Fine," Kaoru looked up at him, meeting his gaze. She suddenly got the distinct feeling that he already knew, that Yahiko had been filling him in, so why he was asking her she didn't know.

"Just fine?"

"Yes, fine. Yahiko's learning."

"When I'm not being tortured, you mean," Yahiko rolled his eyes.

Kaoru lifted a brow in question, "You think what you've done so far is hard? Boy, you're just beginning."

"I'm not a boy!"

"And what did I tell you about showing me some respect?"

"I don't have to respect some ugly girl like you!"

Kaoru twitched again, feeling her anger rise. What was it with this boy? They had had a good lesson yesterday, a nice talk, but now that he was suddenly around Battousai and Zanza, he was being rude and insulting. "Well, this _ugly girl_ is your teacher. So for a comment like that, I want you to run twenty-five laps around this entire district--"

"Twenty-five laps!" Yahiko exclaimed, "That'll take me hours!"

"--And when you're done, three hundred strikes, like I showed you yesterday."

"You're crazy!"

"You'll do it," Battousai's voice was calm, but he was looking at Yahiko with a warning in his eyes.

"But--"

"Kamiya-san is right, Yahiko. She's your teacher. You should show her some respect."

Kaoru's eyes widened, that being the last thing she'd ever have expected Battousai to say. "Thank you."

Battousai nodded slightly, and Yahiko heaved an exasperated sigh. "Fine," he grumbled before exiting the courtyard, taking off on his run.

"We need to get going," Battousai motioned to Zanza. The two moved to head back as well, but Battousai stopped, shoulder to shoulder with her. He looked over, his amber eyes glinting in the morning light. A small smile curved over his face, lifting the cold mask for a brief second, leaving Kaoru marveling at the beauty he possessed. "Don't be _too_ hard on him."

With that advice, he left her alone.

* * *

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Battousai grunted as he hauled yet another cart of stone from the field where supplies were being brought and deposited back to the site of the new building, going up on the outskirts of the residential quarter. They had only been at it for a couple of hours, but even he had to admit construction was back-breaking work. For a minute, he regretted having volunteered himself and his men for the job, but the pay was good.

And if he were truly honest with himself, he would admit it was good work, too.

The building was meant to serve as an orphanage, run by a surprising mixture of the townspeople, from priests to healers to teachers. The feuds and conquests raging around the country had set a record number of people to moving, making their way from devastated villages to the more prosperous towns, seeking refuge and work. Among those people were young children, who had lost parents or other family to fighting or disease.

He had met his share of those people along his journeys, Yahiko being just one. Battousai had stumbled across the boy working as a pickpocket and petty thief at the mercy of a local gang, down in one of the southern villages. It was no surprise, really, given Yahiko's circumstances. Orphaned at a young age, Yahiko had been just under eleven when they crossed paths; that was about a year and a half ago. It was hard to believe so much time had passed since his impetuous decision to let the boy travel with them. But there was something in Yahiko that reminded him a bit of himself -- orphaned, brash, arrogant, and yet quick, intelligent, and resourceful.

The thought of the boy brought a small smile to Battousai's lips. He imagined Yahiko would just be finishing his laps by now, and an image of Kamiya's furious face floated into his mind. He wondered just what sort of 'torture' she'd devised for her student next. Despite Yahiko's words to the contrary earlier today, Battousai wasn't fooled. He could see the excitement in Yahiko's eyes last night when he was recapping the day's training.

It made him think that he had made the right decision, letting the woman train him.

Yahiko had asked him, repeatedly, to teach him swordsmanship, to help make him strong. And, repeatedly, Battousai had refused. Eventually Yahiko began asking the others, but they followed Battousai's lead and only told the boy that he would learn, when he was ready. Yahiko had not been too happy about it, but he had obeyed them.

In truth, though, there was just something about the idea of passing on his skills that made him hesitate. His style was a killing style, composed of techniques meant to defeat the enemy in the most efficient way possible. He himself had been a young boy when he started his training, and yet he hesitated to instruct another youngster in the art of war, the art of killing. Maybe that meant he was weak after all. The world was a place of bloodshed and violence. To live meant to know how to protect your own life.

But it intrigued him, the things the Kamiya woman said, the things that Yahiko had reiterated to him over the previous nights. It was obvious the boy had a grudging respect for his new teacher's skills, though Battousai was not surprised. He had seen her skill. He admitted to himself that he would have liked to meet her father, the man who taught such an idealistic style. But he was dead, so Yahiko had said, and Battousai couldn't help but wonder how. The teaching was foolish, in so many ways, but when Yahiko had asked him what he thought about it, he had only said that it was an interesting idea.

The woman continued to be an enigma, and why he had decided to have her stick around to train Yahiko he still couldn't say. But he supposed the instinct had turned out to be a good one; Yahiko was learning, and so was he. The decision to stay in Hatsui had come as a surprise to his men, but he could see in their faces that they welcomed it. Even he had to admit that it would be nice to spend some time in the same place, earn some extra money, rest. And he would be able to stay up-to-date on Kiyo's progress.

"Battousai!" the familiar voice startled him: Yahiko, who should have been back at the inn working with Kamiya. As he looked up, he was even more surprised to see the young woman walking alongside him.

Putting down the load he was currently carrying, he waved them over. "What are you two doing here?"

"Ug-- er, _Kamiya-sensei_ found out what you guys were up to and decided to put me to hard labor."

Battousai raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the woman, who simply shrugged. "He's mostly right. Yahiko seems to want to reply on his physical strength in his training, so I figured this would be an easy way to tire him out. Then we'll see what he has left."

"See what I mean?" Yahiko growled. "Torture."

"Watch it, _little boy_, I intend to help out too, you know."

"Do you?" Battousai asked, finding their bickering oddly amusing.

"Yes. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Right now we're moving these stones over to the building site, to lay the foundation."

"I can do that," Yahiko nodded, attempting to lift the load Battousai had set down. He grimaced, then shook his head. "Uhh... I'll get my own load."

"Zanza is over that way," Battousai pointed. "He'll get you set up with a cart."

As Yahiko headed off to find the young fighter, Battousai placed a light hand on Kaoru's elbow, stopping her from turning to follow. "Why did you really come here?" he asked.

"I told you."

"You gave an excuse," and now his tone audibly darkened. "I think you followed me."

"Excuse me?" Kaoru sounded offended, but a part of her had to acknowledge there was some truth to that.

"Why?"

Kaoru considered denying it, but decided she was big enough to admit to her mistakes. "You said you had a job, and I was curious. I asked Yahiko about it, and it seemed..."

"What?"

For a moment, Kaoru thought she saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. It surprised her, and added to her growing sense of remorse. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I tend to think the worst of you."

Battousai narrowed his eyes, arms crossed over his chest. "I see."

"I'm sorry," Kaoru repeated. "But you have to admit you haven't done a whole lot to change my opinion."

"I shouldn't have to defend myself, or prove myself, to you," Battousai's voice was low, his features unyielding.

Kaoru found herself comparing this face to the one she had seen just hours ago, the one with a hint of amusement in his eyes and a teasing smile on his lips. She liked that face better. Maybe she had been too quick to judge him; it wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Swallowing her pride, she shook her head slightly and answered, "You're right. I guess I just don't know what to make of you." She offered him a small smile, an offer for a truce.

"That would make two of us," he replied, the tenseness in his muscles relaxing slightly. "As long as you're here, take these." He handed her the load he had been carrying, and Kaoru took it without comment.

The truce, for now, had been accepted.

* * *

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